why is this still be debated? the decision to upgrade Casement is over a year old now and design work is ongoing. its going to be in belfast so there's no if's but's or maybe's about it...

Cmills Fan. (Antrim) - Posts: 508 - 29/10/2012 13:50:43    1289583

North Side Gael
County: All
Posts: 1058

1289547
Well lads like it or lump it, your all coming to belfast for its the new home of ulster gaa!

If its going to be a modern stadium with tours concerts etc to be held in it, then it has to be belfast and thats that, its the main airport, the main train connection with dublin, all major motor ways come out of it leading into the road network, it has hotels galore, pubs restaurants and all the rest of the ingredients that come with building a modern day state of the art stadium!

Yes all of which are non-GAA friendly.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 29/10/2012 14:25:57    1289604

North Side Gael
County: All
Posts: 1058

1289547 Well lads like it or lump it, your all coming to belfast for its the new home of ulster gaa!

If its going to be a modern stadium with tours concerts etc to be held in it, then it has to be belfast and thats that, its the main airport, the main train connection with dublin, all major motor ways come out of it leading into the road network, it has hotels galore, pubs restaurants and all the rest of the ingredients that come with building a modern day state of the art stadium!

Belfast will have 3 x Super Stadiums in the near future, and as a result will find itself in a dog fight when bidding for concerts.

We have already shown that a more central location would mean shorter travel times for all Ulster counties, apart from perhaps the two counties you see most in favour of Casement ( Antrim & Down ). All arguments in favour of Casement boil down to Its location in Belfast and all the big City features and facilites that will then surround the ground.

Myself and many other fans generally go to the game, and leave for home afterwards. If I want to see the Titanic quarters, Belfast Zoo or visit Belfast City centre, I will normally schedule a weekend to specifically go and visit those things. After the game, Its back in the car and make the Journey home to watch the Sunday game.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 29/10/2012 19:28:14    1289770

Cmills Fan.
County: Antrim
Posts: 505

1289583 why is this still be debated? the decision to upgrade Casement is over a year old now and design work is ongoing. its going to be in belfast so there's no if's but's or maybe's about it...

Nothing is for definite until the building work begins. And in this case, we dont yet have a Stadium design yet. That is why it is being debated, and things like this should always be debated and discussed in the open.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 29/10/2012 19:33:29    1289776

GerryMc82 Nothing is for definite until the building work begins. And in this case, we dont yet have a Stadium design yet. That is why it is being debated, and things like this should always be debated and discussed in the open.


I refer you to my learned colleague

lufty
County: Antrim
Posts: 73

1259090 http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED%3ANOTICE%3A42413-2012%3ATEXT%3AEN%3AHTML&src=0
For anyone who want to see the exact details of what the development will entail, here is the tender document.

Fairly comprehensive design requirements contained within

KevHill (Antrim) - Posts: 271 - 29/10/2012 20:15:09    1289792

Casement..... only 70 minutes from Dublin Airport. WEE might be up far more often ....

kikfada (Louth) - Posts: 2091 - 29/10/2012 20:53:30    1289824

KevHill
County: Antrim
Posts: 231

1289792 GerryMc82 Nothing is for definite until the building work begins. And in this case, we dont yet have a Stadium design yet. That is why it is being debated, and things like this should always be debated and discussed in the open.


I refer you to my learned colleague

lufty
County: Antrim
Posts: 73

1259090 http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED%3ANOTICE%3A42413-2012%3ATEXT%3AEN%3AHTML&src=0
For anyone who want to see the exact details of what the development will entail, here is the tender document.

Fairly comprehensive design requirements contained within

Copy and pasting my comment will save any bother remembering that It's Gary, and not Gerry..

Your learned fellow County Antrim man's link leads to a list of what the Stadium will contain, or is expected to Contain ( Design requirements do not equate to a design ). Do we a have a finished Stadium design yet? I am correct in saying at this time we do not have a design, which is what my previous comment is saying.

Anybody outside of Antrim opposed to building Ulster's main Stadium in a more central location?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 29/10/2012 21:05:53    1289837

GaryMc82
County: Derry
Posts: 321

You are correct that the link KevHill posted is a tender advertisement listing the proposed scope of works to be included in any bids for the work. I can assure you one thing though, design competitions such as the Casement Park project are highly unlikely to be awarded unless the tendering Architects submit concept design proposals to the selection committee i.e. drawings. Knowing the tight period allocated by the GAA for the delivery of the project (Planning approval, Building Control approval, and construction) I would say that the Architects have been working around the clock to try and stay on schedule. I would guess that the Planning submission will be getting lodged by the end of this year, start of next so you will be free to view it on the PlanningNI portal as is the right of any member of the public (keep checking). I seriously doubt however that they will consult you in the meantime to see if you approve. You mentioned striking on one of your earlier posts so I would advise you to fill your flask and make some sandwiches and get your **** down to Belfast asap. If you and your supporters need a refill i'm sure we will be able to spare you a tea bag to share.

Give up man - resistance is futile!!!!

GlensMan89 (Antrim) - Posts: 54 - 30/10/2012 09:56:00    1289921

Gary: apologies on the name front but you must realise that Omagh was anand always will be a non-starter

KevHill (Antrim) - Posts: 271 - 30/10/2012 10:14:44    1289931

Lets be clear lads - this is about the GAA targeting its games @ the cities where there are large populations in order to grow their games & market.
The Ulster councils strategy state this openly.

Flawed approach that will come home to roost - rural clubs need every bit as much support with emigration rife. The eighties are back but much much more severe.

Stadium in Belfast feeds into the age old tradition up here where everything goes west of the Bann!!
The association will find out soon enough that its strength is with its rural clubs.

Would love to have seen the stadium come further west where traffic could disperse in all directions.

high.catch (UK) - Posts: 153 - 30/10/2012 10:15:19    1289932

East of the Bann high.catch?

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 30/10/2012 11:11:38    1289969

so someone does actually read this - yeah deliberate mistake but you get my jist!

high.catch (UK) - Posts: 153 - 30/10/2012 12:34:09    1290022

GaryMc82
County: Derry
Posts: 321
Anybody outside of Antrim opposed to building Ulster's main Stadium in a more central location?

Yes, me. I think it will be just fine in Belfast. I acknowledge that our provincial colleagues from Donegal, Fermanagh, Cavan etc will have quite a distance to travel, but that's the call that has been made and I'm happy to go with it. The GAA in Ulster deserves a stadium of suitable quality, and if Casement is going to provide it then I'm all for that. If it had to be a more 'central location', then the Athletic Grounds would get my vote, not Omagh. But I think they have made the right call with Casement

There will be wider issues to tackle for Belfast, which will soon be home to three major sports stadia, in how they promote travel to games through public transport / market the city as a good destination to spend the night etc.

But overall, I have only minor niggles about Casement as a venue

EnolaGay (Tyrone) - Posts: 653 - 30/10/2012 14:13:07    1290096

Enola, Belfast has already been recommended by various travel writers as a decent spot to spend a few nights. There is also a decent bus and black taxi service that drops people right outside Casement while the main motorway is only two minutes from the ground so I don't think transport is a big problem. I do believe however that the pubs, businesses and residents around the ground could do a lot more to promote games there and welcome fans better. In my experience I can find West Belfast people a bit like Dubs, a bit up their own ends at times with a 'look at me I am a Westie/Dub' mindset. They tend to think everything revolves around them and their area and feel they don't have to do anything to bring people in as 'they will come anyway'. That will be the biggest test for Casement and West Belfast I believe.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 30/10/2012 14:27:04    1290102

My overall Issue is with a Stadium in Belfast being earmarked as the home of Ulster GAA. I dont dispute that Belfast is a great City, nor do I have an Objection with it having a good GAA stadium. But I dont see why me and thousands of fans like me should have to haul ass for two hours, simply because the GAA reckons it can make more money from a big city like Belfast. It is an amateur sporting organisation, with little or no wages to pay. So why is every decision money orientated?

Tyrone is the most central county in Ulster, and which is why I selected it as a possible alternative. Within Tyrone, Omagh or Dungannon were the likely candidates.
With Omagh seeming the more attractive, because it would easy access times to all counties in Ulster.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 30/10/2012 21:59:49    1290469

GaryMc82: just out of interest how long does it take you to get from Clones and Casement, assuming you leave immediately after the game? you obviously havent negotiated the nightmare that is Monaghan Town with or without its bypass which patrons from Armagh, Down and Antrim have to

KevHill (Antrim) - Posts: 271 - 31/10/2012 10:29:50    1290517

Lough Neagh, will that suit everyone?

Topa_the_left (Antrim) - Posts: 250 - 31/10/2012 13:33:23    1290649

all pubs and restaurants around casement are non gaa - a new low even for you tom!

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 31/10/2012 14:32:33    1290698

North Side Gael
County: All
Posts: 1061

1290698 all pubs and restaurants around casement are non gaa

Correct and quite a number of them are owned by 6 county soccer players or their representatives, but don't get me wrong they will hang out flags etc when a match is on to try and make a few euro even though they would hardly show a match on tv. An example of how low these people stoop was when the euro soccer competition was on a bar (falls road beside rock streets) put up our national flag and a poster showing the FAI logo, Robbie Keane etc. This bar is owned by a 6 county soccer player and some of his ilk.

I would prefer to give me money to businesses that are pro-GAA.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 31/10/2012 15:13:17    1290719

Why are you talking about the rock? never has been a gaa bar? Up the white rock road 2 minutes and youll find a gaa social club, go find minutes and you will find another, all the clubs are visitor friendly, up to TK1 which is a locally owned restaurant which does sponsor gaa teams, or the whitefort whos owners have also been good to the gaa, biddy duffys again not bad with the gaa fans and normally has a decent atmosphere for a small pub on match day.

So you have the whitefort, the temple or TK one for a sit down meal, you have the balmoral hotel only a short drive away, or more relaxed cafe environments such as the kelstar cafe also local owned, you also have numerous chippys about the road. For a drink you can choose from the numerous visiter friendly gaa social clubs within a a short walk of casement park or the two main "near by" pubs such as the whitefort or biddy duffys all with good match day environments, also the local bowling club are very welcoming again just facing the grounds. If your up for the night, venture into town and try out belfast nightlife which is mentioned on every tourism booklet about ireland.

Yeah Tom so your bad experience in one or two places doesnt make all west belfast venues owned by soccer players, doesnt make them all non gaa! Anti Anything Belfast Bridgade showing its true colours with Tom here!

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 31/10/2012 15:29:54    1290737