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

[Wildweasel74]

On a tender a pre tender estimate is normally provided with breakdown.

[tbrick18]

The message I'm taking from that is that the British Government is delaying the stadium at the minute.
However, are the GAA themselves not in the middle of a tendering process which is delaying it anyway? Is the British Government holding that up? Is there a point in the British Government declaring what they can put forward until the total cost is known?

Is it out for Tender at the moment? If I was a company considering tendering for this, I'd be looking at it thinking I've no idea what the budget will be as the funding isnt there. Is it worth the risk of tendering (with all the associated costs of that) to perhaps get excluded as our price exceeds a budget yet to be agreed.

Surely you tender based on your cost modellling of the actual plans and specifications, no?

The budget can't be locked down until those tenders are in, but CHH is backtracking like a good one, although the Minister responsible, Mr Lyons doesn't seem to be pushing too hard either.

I'd say yes, but if people are saying only build what you have the money for - then the plans and specs could be changing? Also if there's no likelihood of getting the funding to build against existing specs - it could be another 10yr delay and a waste of time and effort for a tenderer.

The whole thing is a sh*tshow in terms of how it was managed from day 1.

[93-DY-SAM]

I'd say yes, but if people are saying only build what you have the money for - then the plans and specs could be changing? Also if there's no likelihood of getting the funding to build against existing specs - it could be another 10yr delay and a waste of time and effort for a tenderer.

The whole thing is a sh*tshow in terms of how it was managed from day 1.

Absolutely, and much of that is at the door of the Ulster Council.

[LC]

Tendering contractors will probably low ball their tender on basis that no doubt that the design could change and that with the Client being under time pressures they will throwing whatever £££ is necessary to get it completed in time.

[twohands!!!]

Heaton-Harris not running for re-election and a general election around the corner.

Can't shake the feeling the current plan is to leave it in the in-tray for Labour to deal with.

The election being called on 4th of July looks like it's going to complicate things even further.
I feared the Rishi and the Tories would try to drag out having an election for as long as possible (the latest the election could be held is something like the middle of next January) while refusing to actual commit the money for the stadium, which would have surely meant going back to the drawing board with a much smaller capacity stadium.

Hopefully this will mean that Labour will be in charge with enough time to make a decision on how much they are going to contribute and that they uphold the previous government's commitment to underwrite the cost. Unless London stump up the vast majority of the overall cost, I just can't see any possibility the current proposal gets built.

[illdecide]

When a Contractor tenders for a scheme like this they will cost it to the drawings and specifications, the Consultant acting for the client will have a Pre-Tender costing done so they will have a rough idea what it's going to cost. Whoever the Principal Contractor is whose tender is accepted this price will be accepted by the Consultant acting on behalf of the Client (Ulster Council) and will not change. It almost certainly will increase due to Compensation Events and Early Warnings during Construction but the Client and Consultant will know this and  a % is always set aside for this.
Today £36m is set aside for local soccer stadiums for upgrades, was it £60m for a poxy ice rink in Dundonald and still the sectarian hatred in this hole of a place is still holding us back for this stadium. Disaster from the day they closed the ground prematurely.

[marty34]

Report into the potential of Casement Park.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0524/1450954-euro-2028-championship-to-boost-ni-economy-by-over-l100m/

[twohands!!!]

Things getting somewhat desperate by the sounds of it.

I would be gobsmacked if there is any meaningful response to the letter from Rishi and friends.

Ulster GAA has written to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seeking clarification on the funding of Casement Park's redevelopment. The Irish FA were joint-signatories to the letter which was sent last weekend.

The correspondence comes as a consulting company, commissioned by Ulster GAA, estimates that the value of five potential Euro 2028 games played at the venue would be worth £106m to the Northern Ireland economy.

Grant Thornton estimate that some £52m would come from accommodation and a further £54m from bars restaurants and other retail outlets that would benefit from the games being staged in Belfast.

The funding of the project, which has been ongoing for more than a decade now, has reached a deadlock as the deadline to commence works looms.

The British Government has not committed to bridging the funding gap with the full cost subject to much speculation, up to £308m in one case.

Casement Park is one of 10 venues selected for Euro 2028 at which 51 games will be played. The economic impact is estimated to be £2.5 billion, which would work out as a £255m pro rata contribution for Northern Ireland. But the report commissioned by Ulster GAA is more measured.

It focuses on economic and tourism benefits only and does not not reflect the contribution of the construction of the stadium or hosting major GAA games and other events that will take place in the years ahead.

So far the Assembly remains committed to £62.5m in funding, the Irish Government pledged around £43m in February, while the GAA is putting up £15m.

Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy said the letter to Prime Minister Sunak expressed "urgency."

"We want and need to see progress, now, on the long-standing commitments given to deliver Casement Park," he said in a statement.

"In the joint letter we thanked Prime Minister Sunak and the Government for their previous public commitments to invest in the project.

"We also called for clarity on the Casement Park and Euro 2028 funding position to enable the NI Executive to, then, take the necessary steps to deliver this landmark stadium. With the announcement of the impending dissolution of the UK Parliament within days this matter is now beyond urgent.

"If Euro 2028 can be hosted in Belfast, what a powerful message it would send out on the 30th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in 2028, shining a global light on the progress our community has made in building peace, prosperity and reconciliation."�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/report-puts-value-of-euro-2028-tournament-to-northern-ireland-at-106-million/a634581348.html

[square_ball]

Things getting somewhat desperate by the sounds of it.

I would be gobsmacked if there is any meaningful response to the letter from Rishi and friends.

There's only one place that letter has ended up in and thats the bin. Its not a problem for the Tories any more. They'll be leaving that for Labour to sort in 6 weeks time amongst other things.