Are SDLP and Sinn Feiners on Belfast City Council supporting the sites?

[T Fearon]

of the new provincial stadium in Belfast? If they are, I hope the electorate bears this is mind during the next council elections

[ziggysego]

Where you getting this information from Tony? I'd seriously doubt the SDLP would support it in Belfast and there's no way Sinn Fein will.

[SammyG]

of the new provincial stadium in Belfast? If they are, I hope the electorate bears this is mind during the next council elections

A lot of SDLP members (councillors and MLA's) support a Belfast stadium, as it will be financially viable and built without any burden on the tax/rate payer, unlike the white heffalump at the Maze. I haven't heard much, either way, from any Belfast SF reps. The report will be reviewed by the full council early in May, so I'm sure we'll hear from SF then.

As far as your comment about the electorate, I agree that they should bear this in mind. I'd have thought that saving £240 million+ would be a major vote winner.  

[T Fearon]

Sammy, I could save the electorate millions of pounds every year...by banning Orange parades. But I don't think that would be a big vote winner in Portadown, do you?

[SammyG]

Sammy, I could save the electorate millions of pounds every year...by banning Orange parades. But I don't think that would be a big vote winner in Portadown, do you?

I'd vote for it but then I don't live in Portydown (thank fcuk  )

[Evil Genius]

of the new provincial stadium in Belfast? If they are, I hope the electorate bears this is mind during the next council elections

Afaik, none of the SF Councillors attended yesterday's meeting of the BCC Leisure Committee which considered this issue. By implication, I assume that the SDLP Members did.

The tide is turning; you don't want to be beached like a whale which has got hopelessly lost and has to be towed back out to sea for its own good.

[There, I've edited it now. Everyone happy?]

[his holiness nb]

Mr play the ball and not the man strikes again 

Go on, call me gay for pointing this out

Hypocrite.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

The tide is turning; you don't want to be beached like a big - what do you call those fat, blubbery creatures that get hopelessly lost and have to be towed back out to sea for their own good? Oh yes, Fearons whales...

Not usually one for this but

1. Personal abuse.
    Personal abuse is one of the most common problems on internet boards. Known sometimes as 'playing the man', whether foul language is used or not, this behaviour is
    not allowed.
    e.g. Calling someone a fat fool is the same as calling someone something more vulgar. This rule applies even in situations where another user has breached this, or
    another rule. Retaliation is still a breach of the rule.
   
    Penalties- 1st Offence - Warning,  Second Offence - 2 Day Ban, Third Offence - 10 Day Ban, Fourth Offence - Permanent Ban

Expect nothing to be done though

[stibhan]

God, this issue is so simple.

The reason why the stadium has to be in the country is because if it's in Belfast it will almost certainly be in or near an area that will be hostile to either Rugby and the British-Occupied Ireland soccerball XI or hostile to GAA ball- think it's pretty obvious under which lines these sports are divided here, so I shan't provide an explanation.


If anyone seriously thinks that GAA fans or Ni soccer fans could walk through an area of Belfast without getting some serious abuse and being under intense sectarian threats then you're having a laugh. Is there any chance the Ulster Final will get played at Windsor? I doubt it, and you know exactly why. NI's next match at Casement? I'd love to see it...

[Evil Genius]

Even the Belfast "Entirely Objective unless Government Advertising is at Risk" Telegraph is being forced to acknowledge the turning of the tide:

Maze stadium bid 'dead in the water'
Wednesday, April 23, 2008

By Claire McNeilly

The debate over where to build Northern Ireland's new multi-sports stadium heated up last night, after a rival bid claimed the Maze site was "dead in the water".

Former Belfast Lord Mayor Bob Stoker was speaking after new research £ commissioned by Belfast City Council £ found that the city is the best option for the proposed £240m, 38,000 seater arena.

Mr Stoker said the findings also show there are a possible five sites in Belfast that would be more suitable than the former prison, located outside Lisburn.

The Parks and Committee chairman said: "The only viable option is Belfast and the report clearly shows that."

The five locations identified by the research are Ormeau Park, the Danny Blanchflower Park, the North Foreshore, Maysfield and the Boucher Road playing fields.

These alternatives were made known to all members of the council who attended a presentation on the sports stadium yesterday morning.

Mr Stoker said the report proved that the former paramilitary jail falls short of being the best solution for a number of different reasons, including economic.

"I would like to think it (the Maze) is dead in the water," he said.

"Not because it's a Belfast versus Maze decision, but because we only have one opportunity to get this right.

Councillors are expected to decide upon their preferred option within the next couple of months.

The findings of the report are now to be handed to executive ministers Edwin Poots and Peter Robinson who are currently reviewing plans for a stadium at the Maze.

For many years, the government's favoured site for a complex housing football, rugby and gaelic appears to have been the Maze.

But last month, a senior DUP source told PA that "it is unlikely that the Maze stadium will go ahead".

DUP Finance Minister Peter Robinson is currently reviewing the business case for the project and will give his recommendation to the Executive in the coming weeks.

Culture Minister Edwin Poots is, however, a long-time supporter of the Maze plan. He insisted that while the project has been discussed by senior members of the party, there has been no firm decision.

But Ulster Unionist MLA Basil McCrea said he believed the DUP had already decided to dump the Maze site.

"Highly reliable sources tell me that the decision to dump the Maze stadium was taken at a DUP meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, in April"he said.

It was also revealed last night that a letter sent from the Road Service to the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure raised concerns about any Belfast-based stadium such as Windsor Park.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3634283.ece

[Evil Genius]

God, this issue is so simple.

The reason why the stadium has to be in the country is because if it's in Belfast it will almost certainly be in or near an area that will be hostile to either Rugby and the British-Occupied Ireland soccerball XI or hostile to GAA ball- think it's pretty obvious under which lines these sports are divided here, so I shan't provide an explanation.


If anyone seriously thinks that GAA fans or Ni soccer fans could walk through an area of Belfast without getting some serious abuse and being under intense sectarian threats then you're having a laugh. Is there any chance the Ulster Final will get played at Windsor? I doubt it, and you know exactly why. NI's next match at Casement? I'd love to see it...

No chance of an Ulster Final at Windsor, I'd say. Sure don't all soccer clubs have a Rule banning all Irish games from their premises? 

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/linfield-pitches-in-to-help-camogie-team-train-for-match-272264.html 

[Solomon Kane]

Former SDLP Lord Mayor (and ex-stickie) Pat McCarthy has came out in favour of a national stadium in Belfast. He spoke about the matter at a public meeting at the Waterfront. 

[stibhan]

God, this issue is so simple.

The reason why the stadium has to be in the country is because if it's in Belfast it will almost certainly be in or near an area that will be hostile to either Rugby and the British-Occupied Ireland soccerball XI or hostile to GAA ball- think it's pretty obvious under which lines these sports are divided here, so I shan't provide an explanation.


If anyone seriously thinks that GAA fans or Ni soccer fans could walk through an area of Belfast without getting some serious abuse and being under intense sectarian threats then you're having a laugh. Is there any chance the Ulster Final will get played at Windsor? I doubt it, and you know exactly why. NI's next match at Casement? I'd love to see it...

No chance of an Ulster Final at Windsor, I'd say. Sure don't all soccer clubs have a Rule banning all Irish games from their premises? 

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/linfield-pitches-in-to-help-camogie-team-train-for-match-272264.html 

There is a subtle difference between letting a team train in Windsor Park and having a bunch of supporters there. If you're talking about whether the pitch would suit a Gaelic match then I reckon for some purposes it would be fine. If you're talking about whether people could train on the pitch then that would be fine. I'm talking about fans traveling to and from a game in and around the stadium, something you may have noticed is missing in this particular nice publicity stunt. Yea, a camogie team can train in Windsor- a fact that was broadcast in the Irish News AFTER it happened: if people were aware of a similar event happening for months upon months I put it to you that there would be absolute outrage and protests organised with the same delicacy that the respective organisations would display in arranging the fixture.

Don't try and patronise me mate.

[Solomon Kane]

God, this issue is so simple.

The reason why the stadium has to be in the country is because if it's in Belfast it will almost certainly be in or near an area that will be hostile to either Rugby and the British-Occupied Ireland soccerball XI or hostile to GAA ball- think it's pretty obvious under which lines these sports are divided here, so I shan't provide an explanation.


If anyone seriously thinks that GAA fans or Ni soccer fans could walk through an area of Belfast without getting some serious abuse and being under intense sectarian threats then you're having a laugh. Is there any chance the Ulster Final will get played at Windsor? I doubt it, and you know exactly why. NI's next match at Casement? I'd love to see it...

So simple indeed some people miss the facts altogether. I have been in Belfast shopping one or two Sundays after there have been big matches at Sir Roger Casement Park and there were loads of GAA fans in shirts etc milling around Castle Court and the city centre in general. Like-wise I have seen loads of NI and foreign football fans around Belfast City Centre on match-days. No-one has came to any harm so far. I have also seen hordes of Rugby fans round the likes of Robinsons and The Crown Bar, and no-one seems to have came to any grief getting to Ravenhill and back. THERE ARE ALREADY MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN BELFAST. 

[SammyG]

God, this issue is so simple.

The reason why the stadium has to be in the country is because if it's in Belfast it will almost certainly be in or near an area that will be hostile to either Rugby and the British-Occupied Ireland soccerball XI or hostile to GAA ball- think it's pretty obvious under which lines these sports are divided here, so I shan't provide an explanation.


If anyone seriously thinks that GAA fans or Ni soccer fans could walk through an area of Belfast without getting some serious abuse and being under intense sectarian threats then you're having a laugh. Is there any chance the Ulster Final will get played at Windsor? I doubt it, and you know exactly why. NI's next match at Casement? I'd love to see it...

So simple indeed some people miss the facts altogether. I have been in Belfast shopping one or two Sundays after there have been big matches at Sir Roger Casement Park and there were loads of GAA fans in shirts etc milling around Castle Court and the city centre in general. Like-wise I have seen loads of NI and foreign football fans around Belfast City Centre on match-days. No-one has came to any harm so far. I have also seen hordes of Rugby fans round the likes of Robinsons and The Crown Bar, and no-one seems to have came to any grief getting to Ravenhill and back. THERE ARE ALREADY MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN BELFAST. 

Ack Solomon you're just being silly. You should know by now, that you can't let stupid things, like facts, get in the way of somebody's rant.