Maze Stadium to get go ahead to-day

[his holiness nb]

So it was just unionists caused the bloodshed? Was that all a big Brit-Inspired lie that the Provos detonated bombs and shot people?

  what a strange post, I never said anything of the sorts, of course there were atrocities on both sides 

[snatter]

One serious question snatter-  how long would it take the GAA to pay off a stadium on 500K a year, that they would then own, and be able to make revenue off themselves with games and related entertainment (concerts etc)

I'm no accountant or banker, but finger in the air calculation:

Borrowing 50 million GBP at 6% (libor + 1%) over 50 years would need annual repayments of about 3 million per year.
Total interest paid over 50 years would be about 108 Million.
Assuming inflation rate of 4.5%, interest in real terms over period would be over 50 million, ie twice the cost of building it.

So simple answer on how long it would take GAA to repay loan for our own 50 million stadium, at repayment rate of 500k pa?
We would never repay it because we wouldn't get anybody to lend for such a long repayment period, I guess somewhere itro 400 years.

Thats why 500k pa rent is such a no brainer - its a bargain for what we're getting.
Assuming of course that the unionists can stomach having a gaelic player about the place.

[stew]

The H blocks should stand and not be bulldozed. They are part of history now and just because they are an embarassment to the unionists does not mean what happened there should be forgotten.

So the bloodshed isn't an embarassment to you then Stew?

Of course it is, but I dont think that bulldozing history serves any purpose.

[stew]

Lets get the stadium built at the maze before the funding is pulled. The shafties are simply going to have to travel a few mile to get to the norths games.  Big Rab better get the bulldozer ready. I look forward to seeing his arse hauled off to jail after he has a go at the memorial.

Is Big Rab still slabbering away? What about Roger he was a real piece of work

He was but Peter from castlederg was the absolute worst...................bar wee marty and mac that is.

[Solomon Kane]

The H blocks should stand and not be bulldozed. They are part of history now and just because they are an embarassment to the unionists does not mean what happened there should be forgotten.

So the bloodshed isn't an embarassment to you then Stew?

Of course it is, but I dont think that bulldozing history serves any purpose.

It does. They bull-dozed Fred West's house because it was a blot on the landscape. History is one thing, but when the relatives of the slain and those maimed are still alive, a shrine to the butchers is nothing but another insult to them. There is a total lack of sensitivity to the victims in this case, no matter who chooses to make make heros out of the paramilitaries.

[SammyG]

Apparently the DUP and UUP have walked out of the meeting about the Maze Stadium this morning in protest.

They walked out because Poots refused to discuss the business case (because there isn't one) or the details of how much has been spent on consultants etc. Instead he wanted to use the MLAs as cover for yet another PR launch and not surprisingly they told him to go away (or words to that effect). The walkout included pro, anti and undecideds.

[Sky Blue]

I have read in the past that the intention is to use this stadium for Olympic soccer matches. If that is right they would need to be getting a move on. It takes time to put the infastructure in place for a stadium of this size. It's not just about building the park itself.

The photos are impressive and I look forward to going to matches there when its built.

[snatter]

The walkout included pro, anti and undecideds.

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

[snatter]

Apart from the three glossy photos, were any other design details releasesd yesterday?

Stuff like pitch dimensions, exact details of how the flexible 35k/42k seating arrangment would work.
Are they using temporary seating?
How they would make the stadium look more full when smaller crowds are there, eg when NI soccer is being played?

[SammyG]

The walkout included pro, anti and undecideds.

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

There are people who have publically backed the Maze, people who have publically backed Belfast and people who have made no comment either way (or not that I've seen). The one thing they all had in common was that they want to see a proper business case (as do we all) not a glossy presentation that has already cost over a million quid.

[SammyG]

I have read in the past that the intention is to use this stadium for Olympic soccer matches. If that is right they would need to be getting a move on. It takes time to put the infastructure in place for a stadium of this size. It's not just about building the park itself.

The Olympics is a complete red herring. Olympic football attracts crowds of 5-10000 and would be dwarfed at the Maze.

The photos are impressive and I look forward to going to matches there when its built.

Not surprising they're impressive. If somebody gave me over a million quid I coould produce a few cracking photos.

[SammyG]

Apart from the three glossy photos, were any other design details releasesd yesterday?

Stuff like pitch dimensions, exact details of how the flexible 35k/42k seating arrangment would work.
Are they using temporary seating?
How they would make the stadium look more full when smaller crowds are there, eg when NI soccer is being played?

Nio mention of any details at all, either about the design or the business case, just more Poots propagnada. That's why there was a walkout, the MLAs were promised a detailed presentation and didn't get one.

[snatter]

The walkout included pro, anti and undecideds.

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

There are people who have publically backed the Maze, people who have publically backed Belfast and people who have made no comment either way (or not that I've seen). The one thing they all had in common was that they want to see a proper business case (as do we all) not a glossy presentation that has already cost over a million quid.

OK, you're obviously having difficulties, so I'll ask the question again:

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

My expectation would have  been that not one pro-Maze committee member walked out yesterday.
You've made the statement to the contrary, so back it up, or withdraw it.

[SammyG]

The walkout included pro, anti and undecideds.

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

There are people who have publically backed the Maze, people who have publically backed Belfast and people who have made no comment either way (or not that I've seen). The one thing they all had in common was that they want to see a proper business case (as do we all) not a glossy presentation that has already cost over a million quid.

OK, you're obviously having difficulties, so I'll ask the question again:

So, of the walkees, who are the pro, anti and undecided?
What's the breakdown, or are you making this up?

My expectation would have  been that not one pro-Maze committee member walked out yesterday.
You've made the statement to the contrary, so back it up, or withdraw it.

The committe consists of
Alliance Mr Kieran McCarthy (Pro-Maze)
Democratic Unionist Party The Lord Browne (don't know)
Mr Nelson McCausland (pro-Belfast)
Mr Jim Shannon (pro-Belfast)
Sinn Fein Mr Francie Brolly (Pro-Maze)
Mr Barry McElduff (Chairperson) (pro-Maze)
Mr Paul Maskey (pro-Maze)
Social Democratic and Labour Party Mr Dominic Bradley (don't know)
Mr Pat Ramsey (don't know)
Ulster Unionist Party Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson) (pro-Maze)
Mr Ken Robinson (don't know)

The walkouts were McCarthy, Browne, MaCausland, Shannon, McNarry and Robinson (so as I said a split of pro anti and unknow/undecided)

[lynchbhoy]

The H blocks should stand and not be bulldozed. They are part of history now and just because they are an embarassment to the unionists does not mean what happened there should be forgotten.

This is exactly why Solomon Kane wants them demolished.
I cant see why unionist bloodshed would embarrass Stew btw 

So it was just unionists caused the bloodshed? Was that all a big Brit-Inspired lie that the Provos detonated bombs and shot people? If anyone wants a memorial to the conflict there are more than enough of them in cemetaries the length and bredth if Northern Ireland and beyond.

while unpalatable now, I think in a number of years time, Long Kesh will be Irelands 'Auchwitcz' (sp) and a stop on the tourist trail of the country.
this is a seperate issue to the building of a new stadium.
Again I'd like to see a municipal communal stadium build further out towards Dungannon where it would suit GAA and rugby more imo.
OK this woud be further afield from the soccer heartland (windsor park locale etc) but if its a central accessible stadium for the future, then it shoul dbe further out than lisburn - which both sides of the community dislike and think is a sh*thole.