Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[Evil Genius]

There is a new proposed soccer centre of excellence proposed for the Galgorm area of Ballymena and you can bet every cent/penny you have that the planning and funding will be no issue here. Sin e

Er, it's a 50 acre site in the middle of the countryside, next to a Hotel/Spa/Golf Course etc. I cannot see why Planning Permission should ever be a problem for such a project, can you?

As for funding, the actual site is being gifted on a long lease by the hotel (presumably in anticipation of increased room bookings etc). While another chunk is being diverted from what was originally the Sub-Regional Stadium Fund for soccer, itself delayed for over a decade by the GAA's inability to get Casement built. In other words, money which was always intended to be spent on soccer stadia in NI, thereby depriving soccer clubs of the full amount they had been promised.

The remainder will likely have to come from the IFA's own resources, unless they can avail of funding from UEFA or FIFA. (On this last point, it is more likely should this site be available to act as a base for a team(s) competing in the 2028 Euro's. This latter could also even generate extra funding from HMG, though I won't hold my breath.)

[snoopdog]

A 50 acre site for 5 pitches. They must be massive.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Casement does not need 300m wasted on it. The money they already have is more than enough to build 2 good stands and 2 open terraces. That is all that is required for the few times a year it will be used. And that should be sufficient for a few concerts also.

Yeah so we will just settle for some second rate bullshit, while Windsor and Ravenhill look like new modern stadiums.

We are this far into it that they may as well push for the best level they can get.

Don't forget that it is Antrim Gaels who are bearing the brunt of this for all the reasons discussed over and over on here.

... and your gonna pay for the additional upkeep costs of an all-singing all-dancing and still mostly unused stadium NAG?

Catch yourself on.

[RadioGAAGAA]

I think the design of casement needs to be re-visited with a fresh business plan around opportunities and value for money. A marquee stadium and concert venue for the North, bringing significant investment into West Belfast would be some statement.

When schools don't have a pot to piss in - or even a pot to collect the water from the leaking roofs...
and ye can't buy a bed in a hospital - sure - let's fire a few hundred million at a bit of plastic and concrete that might get sat on twice a year.

Some statement alright.


Additionally - a point that continually is escaping the grasp of some - if you build fancier stadium - it costs more to maintain. Where is that money coming from? PuC should be a really salient lesson. Yet its not being taken on board at all.

[Rossfan]

Can the GAA leadership just stop talking and get work up and running on a Stand and pitch and anything else that can be done with the available money?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

I think the design of casement needs to be re-visited with a fresh business plan around opportunities and value for money. A marquee stadium and concert venue for the North, bringing significant investment into West Belfast would be some statement.

When schools don't have a pot to piss in - or even a pot to collect the water from the leaking roofs...
and ye can't buy a bed in a hospital - sure - let's fire a few hundred million at a bit of plastic and concrete that might get sat on twice a year.

Some statement alright.


Additionally - a point that continually is escaping the grasp of some - if you build fancier stadium - it costs more to maintain. Where is that money coming from? PuC should be a really salient lesson. Yet its not being taken on board at all.

It is not being taken onboard as the sectarian embers are constantly being stoked on it.
Therefore, it wouldn't matter if it was a stadium sized lump of shite being placed on the Casement site. If we perceive that they are trying to stop it then we are all for it. It's as shallow as that.
And the GAA know it. Totally manufactured "look over there" nonsense.
They aren't against it because we are fenians, they are against it because we are back looking for 3 or 4(?) times our original funding which, to me, makes complete sense.

[Armagh18]

I think the design of casement needs to be re-visited with a fresh business plan around opportunities and value for money. A marquee stadium and concert venue for the North, bringing significant investment into West Belfast would be some statement.

When schools don't have a pot to piss in - or even a pot to collect the water from the leaking roofs...
and ye can't buy a bed in a hospital - sure - let's fire a few hundred million at a bit of plastic and concrete that might get sat on twice a year.

Some statement alright.


Additionally - a point that continually is escaping the grasp of some - if you build fancier stadium - it costs more to maintain. Where is that money coming from? PuC should be a really salient lesson. Yet its not being taken on board at all.

It is not being taken onboard as the sectarian embers are constantly being stoked on it.
Therefore, it wouldn't matter if it was a stadium sized lump of shite being placed on the Casement site. If we perceive that they are trying to stop it then we are all for it. It's as shallow as that.
And the GAA know it. Totally manufactured "look over there" nonsense.
They aren't against it because we are fenians, they are against it because we are back looking for 3 or 4(?) times our original funding which, to me, makes complete sense.

Don't be daft.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

They also may not like fenians but the 3 to 4 times our original funding is clearly a real problem. And it should be!

[JoG2]

I think the design of casement needs to be re-visited with a fresh business plan around opportunities and value for money. A marquee stadium and concert venue for the North, bringing significant investment into West Belfast would be some statement.

When schools don't have a pot to piss in - or even a pot to collect the water from the leaking roofs...
and ye can't buy a bed in a hospital - sure - let's fire a few hundred million at a bit of plastic and concrete that might get sat on twice a year.

Some statement alright.


Additionally - a point that continually is escaping the grasp of some - if you build fancier stadium - it costs more to maintain. Where is that money coming from? PuC should be a really salient lesson. Yet its not being taken on board at all.

You missed out the homeless

[NAG1]

Casement does not need 300m wasted on it. The money they already have is more than enough to build 2 good stands and 2 open terraces. That is all that is required for the few times a year it will be used. And that should be sufficient for a few concerts also.

Yeah so we will just settle for some second rate bullshit, while Windsor and Ravenhill look like new modern stadiums.

We are this far into it that they may as well push for the best level they can get.

Don't forget that it is Antrim Gaels who are bearing the brunt of this for all the reasons discussed over and over on here.

... and your gonna pay for the additional upkeep costs of an all-singing all-dancing and still mostly unused stadium NAG?

Catch yourself on.

Personally I'm not going to pay it.

But as with all these modern stadiums they aren't just one purpose or use. So you have a stadium director/ team that makes the venue pay for the days that it isn't being used for GAA purposes. But I guess you would know that already.

You have would have a modern asset sitting there with potential to bring in conferences, community events, banquets any gods amounts of public/ private events.

[smort]

Will we be welcoming people to the Allstate Páirc Mhic Ásmaint in the future

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2025/0228/1499442-cusack-park-to-be-renamed-zimmer-biomet-pairc-chiosog/

[Jeepers Creepers]

Don't care if it's The Anne Summers arena! Get it built!

[Evil Genius]

The remainder will likely have to come from the IFA's own resources, unless they can avail of funding from UEFA or FIFA.

Update:

Gianni Infantino pledges FIFA's financial support for Irish FA's National Training Centre plan

FIFA chiefs have thrown their support and financial muscle behind the Irish FA's new National Training Centre in Galgorm, near Ballymena.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom both voiced their excitement at the ambitious project during a visit to Northern Ireland.
FIFA, along with UEFA, will also make financial contributions towards the facility boasting "world-class pitches and cutting-edge training facilities".

And regarding the poster who queried the need for 50 acres:

Subject to planning permission and government funding, the IFA hope to have up to six training pitches at the new facility, one of which would be covered, in addition to treatment rooms and meeting rooms.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sport/gianni-infantino-pledges-fifas-financial-support-for-irish-fas-national-training-centre-plan/a322777468.html

Computer-generated imagining of the project:

[Wildweasel74]

How's that modern asset  going in Cork city.

[Rossfan]

It went fine last night anyway