Croke Park

[pintsofguinness]

realredhandfan

pints i was firmly in the no camp, but If im forced to watch 2 teams renting out a facility that we have 600 million invested of our GAAs money in, then who has it right the amateur organisation or the pros.

Um the amateur organisation, how could you think the professional organistion have it right?

That 600 million could help me put an extra pitch around my club, it could help me watch Tyrone without the rain, it could help our club have a professional evening coach 3 nights a week... dont woirry you could still got to Croker to watch Tyrone if you want to in an All Ireland final..

But the stadium wouldn't be ours.

Croke Park is now bigger than I want the GAA to be, I see the GAA as being my club and my county, my affinity with Croke Park is gone, and instead of being a magnificent testament to the spirit of volunteerism is best described as the third biggest sports stadium in Europe.

What do you mean that Croke park is now bigger than you want the GAA to be?   
Can't it be both the magnificent testament to the spirity of volunteerism and the third biggest sports stadium in Europe?

[stephenite]

Was all for allowing the temporary opening up of Croker whilst Lansdowne is being redeveloped - would be against the selling fo our biggest assett to the government or anyone else.

[The Real Laoislad]

My passion for soccer is just as high as it is for Football i couldn't pick between either i love both,But i really don't think Croke Park should be sold to anyone
I am a big supporter of Croke Park being opened up while Landsdowne is being rebuilt and if it takes 4 or 5 years so be it but god the idea of selling Croke Park no way i be totally against it, it would really be one step too far
With all the money the goverment has wasted on electronic voting and the like over the last 10 years we could have had 5 National Stadiums built on greenfield sites
As much of a soccer follower i am i think it's going too far to let Rugby and soccer be a permament fixture in Croker at the end of the day it was built for Gaelic Games and thats the way it should stay once Landsdowne or a new stadium is built elsewhere for the other two sports

[snatter]

bennydorano,

Don't see the point in selling it, what happens when the monies recieved are spent and are all gone?

Jesus, even if we blew the whole 600M in a whore house, we'd still be using Croker anyway.

that's the whole point myself and others are making - if we sold it to the nation, we'd still get the same use out of it as we are at the minute anyway.

Realistically, being the tight hoors that we are, I guess we wouldn't blow it in a whore house, although the GPA might have other ideas.
We'd be more likely to spend the 600M on improving our decrepit regional stadia, setting up new clubs and getting townies to play the game, oh and yes, WE WOULD STILL PLAY OUR BIG GAMES AT CROKER!
Yep, that's Croker as in a proper national stadium that caters for all sports, not the pretend national stadium at Lansdowne that excludes GAA.
Not to be confused with Tallaght, another Govt funded stadium that excludes GAA.

[stephenite]

bennydorano,

Don't see the point in selling it, what happens when the monies recieved are spent and are all gone?

Jesus, even if we blew the whole 600M in a whore house, we'd still be using Croker anyway.

that's the whole point myself and others are making - if we sold it to the nation, we'd still get the same use out of it as we are at the minute anyway.

Realistically, being the tight hoors that we are, I guess we wouldn't blow it in a whore house, although the GPA might have other ideas.
We'd be more likely to spend the 600M on improving our decrepit regional stadia, setting up new clubs and getting townies to play the game, oh and yes, WE WOULD STILL PLAY OUR BIG GAMES AT CROKER!
Yep, that's Croker as in a proper national stadium that caters for all sports, not the pretend national stadium at Lansdowne that excludes GAA.
Not to be confused with Tallaght, another Govt funded stadium that excludes GAA.

Most of our regional stadia are being improved at the moment anyway, without the need for selling off our greatest assett. And whats this about townies playing the game? Silly comment as most large urban centres have thriving GAA clubs, or is GAA still the sole preserve of rural Ireland? Can't figure that one out at all....

You say we can still play our big games at Croker - what happens, when 20 years down the line? One of the other associations using the ground could, and perhaps quite reasonably, argue that they need the ground on one of the weekends in September when the All Irelands are scheduled? Might be unlikely, but not impossible given that the final decison would rest with a commercial company that runs the ground to extract max revenues.

Bad bad idea - but thankfully one that would have to be passed at congress and I cannot forsee anything other than a firm NO on that vote

[The Real Laoislad]

Im sure if it was sold it be named after some corperate comapny like Arsenal have done with the Emirates Stadium
I can see it now Laois v Kerry All Ireland Final 2015 in the British Telecom stadium

[stephenite]

Im sure if it was sold it be named after some corperate comapny like Arsenal have done with the Emirates Stadium
I can see it now Laois v Kerry All Ireland Final 2015 in the British Telecom stadium

Such overkill in order to suit your argument.

I mean Laois in an All Ireland final?

[snatter]

Stephenite,

what happens, when 20 years down the line? One of the other associations using the ground could, and perhaps quite reasonably, argue that they need the ground on one of the weekends in September when the All Irelands are scheduled? Might be unlikely, but not impossible given that the final decison would rest with a commercial company that runs the ground to extract max revenues.

Already answered earlier in the thread:

For the hard of thinking / laterally challenged, if the GAA sold it to the Govt, they would  obviously do so with the caveat that it was ringfenced for the AI Semi and Finals and possibly Leinster final.
I didn't think I would have to explain that one.

RE:

Most of our regional stadia are being improved at the moment anyway

They're not being improved
a. fast enough
b. with thin air
We need one top class venue per province. 40 to 60k, Two thirds seated and covered. we're miles off at the minute.

[snatter]

Laois Lad

can see it now Laois v Kerry All Ireland Final 2015 in the British Telecom stadium

Very much an extreme example to appeal to the knee-jerk anti-British amongst us.
If an Irish Govt thoght it could rename Croker to anything starting with British, I would imagine it would be on a one ticket out of power.

[The Real Laoislad]

Eh it was a tounge in cheek comment lads

[The Real Laoislad]

We need one top class venue per province. 40 to 60k, Two thirds seated and covered. we're miles off at the minute

Don't agree with ya there.Can't speak for other province's but Leinster has
O'Moore Park Portlaoise with a brand new multi million euro stand and state of art floodlights
Nolan Park Kilkenny with a multi million overhaul aswell
Tullamore the same

[stephenite]

Stephenite,

what happens, when 20 years down the line? One of the other associations using the ground could, and perhaps quite reasonably, argue that they need the ground on one of the weekends in September when the All Irelands are scheduled? Might be unlikely, but not impossible given that the final decison would rest with a commercial company that runs the ground to extract max revenues.

Already answered earlier in the thread:

For the hard of thinking / laterally challenged, if the GAA sold it to the Govt, they would  obviously do so with the caveat that it was ringfenced for the AI Semi and Finals and possibly Leinster final.
I didn't think I would have to explain that one.

RE:

Most of our regional stadia are being improved at the moment anyway

They're not being improved
a. fast enough
b. with thin air
We need one top class venue per province. 40 to 60k, Two thirds seated and covered. we're miles off at the minute.

Not withstanding the insult of being hard of thinking, I have to challenge this. If the stadium is sold how long do you think this caveat will hold? Under legal scrutiny I'd imagine not for very long, if it's sold it will be up the owners ( government prob engage a management company to do this for them ) to dictate when the stadium is used, not it's former owners. Would only be a matter of time before this caveat is overturned. I mean if you sell you anything you lose the right to have FULL say in it's operation or management.

You say it's not hard to explain, of course it's not hard to explain, just doesn't mean it copper fastens our right to use the stadium when we choose years down the line

Your other notions of what makes an ideal stadium is absurd to say the least.

[snatter]

laois lad,

Quote
We need one top class venue per province. 40 to 60k, Two thirds seated and covered. we're miles off at the minute

Don't agree with ya there.

you mightn't agree with me, but the GAA does.

The GAA are deadly keen on getting a 40000 + capacity stadium in each province.
For full details read Section 8.4.3 of GAA Strategic Review report

re GAA's stadia requirements:

One 'major' stadium should be developed in each Province with the exception of Leinster; (A 'major' stadium would involve a capacity of 40,000 to 60,000, of which at least two-thirds would be seated and a minimum of 35% of the seats
would be covered.)

The GAA's economic case appears to be backed up by an interim report by Department of Economics University College Cork. see

http://www.ucc.ie/academic/economics/research/workingpapers/03-01.pdf

[The Real Laoislad]

I said i couldn't speak for other province's but as far as i know Portlaoise can hold at least 35,000 and 10,000 of those are seated and under a roof

[snatter]

Stephenite,

re

Not withstanding the insult of being hard of thinking

apologies, but it wasn't a personal insult at you - if you read through the thread you'll see that I posted that before replying to you.

I was merely challenging the knee jerk never never brigade to stop and think for a minute rather than just saying never never.
I don't mind never never, but would prefer to see reasons in support of it.