Can't see how this can be fixed.The need is for a 38/40k stadium. No real point in the Ulster Council building one at 20k as it won't be much use. I suppose Antrim have to decide what to do with the site now. There is no money to restore it never mind give it the upgrade is desperately needs. I suppose sell up and try do something on a much smaller scale elsewhere, Dunsilly I suppose is the obvious choice. A thoroughly depressing day for Andytown and Antrim.

srb (Antrim) - Posts: 344 - 15/12/2014 19:01:23    1678687

That's right Kingdom Boy1 and a few more plastic seats for Killarney ;)

TyroneUltra (Tyrone) - Posts: 307 - 15/12/2014 19:03:17    1678690

Take a piece of the action west of the Bann for a change but that would not suit the politicians of West Belfast.
It was a sop to the Belfast Elite. Re-develop or build a new stadium at Garvaghy in Tyrone central to everyone in Ulster. Also would help drive the re-development of the road network that is been stalled at every opportunity by DSD/DARD etc at NIO.
It's political so what !
Also, maybe ask the GAA members of Ulster what they want and vote on it ?
How did the professionals at Ulster GAA mess up the planning process ? Trampled over the ordinary residents, they tried to bully them into submission, not a good day for the salaried servants of us good old GAA members !

IssacBall (Derry) - Posts: 51 - 15/12/2014 19:31:25    1678702

Aye I suppose who really cares that we won't have a home ground if this falls through. Sure as long as any new stadium isn't in Belfast that's the main thing.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 15/12/2014 20:46:16    1678724

TyroneUlster
That would be the dream lol.
All jokes aside though it is a pity it fell through.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 15/12/2014 21:14:38    1678731

Sorry for getting your name wrong tyroneUltra .

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 15/12/2014 21:20:34    1678733

TyroneUltra
County: Tyrone
Posts: 185

1678666 So what now what are the options. Surely Building a smaller Stadium wouldn't be much use as this was meant to be the Main Stadium to hold Ulster Finals and All-Ireland Quarter Finals. Is there any way they could big down or did I read somewhere that there was a problem with the underground water levels. If something isn't sorted this will be a complete disaster for Ulster GAA. Will be interesting to hear plan B that is if there is a plan B.
_________________________
Thats the whole point, there never ever was a plan B, this was a decision hatched by politicians up on the hill, politicians incidentally who would not have a great fondness for the GAA, and I'm including SF in that. It was never about the wider GAA fraternity in Ulster or what was best for them, it was only ever about W.Belfast or nothing, I mean, look at all of those site 'security' contracts that SF lackeys will be missing out on now as a result.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 16/12/2014 08:17:46    1678747

I would be of the opinion that this will still go ahead as planned as Belfast is the only viable option for a major stadium in the 6 counties.

However, should it not go ahead I would like to see Casement sold for housing development and the money generated used for a purpose built Antrim Stadium at Dunsilly which is a much more central location for Antrim and also very accessible from elsewhere.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 16/12/2014 09:46:27    1678759

Hold on,

If Casement was upgraded to 40,000 what exactly would it be used for? Fill it 3 - 4 times a year and the odd concert here and there.

Bit of a waste to be fair lads.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 16/12/2014 10:08:49    1678763

Agree 100% Naysayer - if this does fall through and the proposed new Ulster GAA stadium is either scrapped or built elsewhere then I hope that Antrims home ground is rebuilt in Dunsilly or somewhere similar. If the locals up around Casement don't want a new stadium then bulldoze whatever is left, clear the site and give them a nice massive housing estate on their doorsteps instead. The size of the site up there should mean it would be worth plenty of millions to Antrim GAA and they could even set up a permanent housing for those on up round the Mona bypass and similar areas down in a more central Anderstown. We owe them nothing.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 16/12/2014 10:10:04    1678764

If they dont come to an agreement iro reducing capacity then ive a feeling it will be handed back to the Antrim County Board.

There will be money from what im hearing made available through a smaller stadia project which is in the pipeline from DCAL to renovate Casement. I would also say that if they develop elsewhere there will be money set aside for casement as well. I cannot see the Minister leaving it high and dry.

It will be rebuilt but maybe not under Ulster Council control and more than likely a reduced capacity.

Alternatively they could up the financial offer made to the residents and its game on again.

We'll find out tomorrow i suppose.

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 16/12/2014 10:31:21    1678771

Naysayer there is no way the residents will accept housing on the site either whether thats social or private.

Sure that would also impact on their quality of life!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 16/12/2014 10:32:54    1678772

Brend has it spot on, it was always political. Same here in the Free State with all the big money being allocated to the capital. Don't even get me started on the other stadium proposal for where? Dublin!
I was never a fan of the Casement Project but that was a selfish one as its very inaccessible for Donegal Folk but its a major blow to the GAA folk of Antrim and Belfast. If this project is doomed then I would like to see the Ulster Council and Croke Park making funds available in conjunction with funds raised by Antrim GAA to find a new home for the GAA folk of Antrim.
Personally I feel that the GAA should abandon the Casement Project on the basis that we have a small number of local residents, who seem well organised and well informed that are against it. The stadium isn't even under construction and look at the problems already. No matter what project would be granted by the authorities these residents will more likely object to any future non-sporting events that would be planned for Casement. We will have a similar situation as with the Croke Park residents. The GAA should look to alternatives and if the funding is to be withdrawn from the British Government then the GAA should open up proper consultations with the 9 county boards to establish what is best for the entire GAA community of ULSTER (9 not 6 counties)

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1675 - 16/12/2014 10:55:55    1678774

I really don't understand the locals objections. They say they'd accept a 20k seater but not 38k. The capacity as it stands is in the mid 30s. Surely there's no real difference in an extra 5000 or so. Even the difference in a 20k and 38k crowd, is that something you'd notice on a big game day? The roads will be closed anyway, surely all the same restrictions and crowd control will be nearly the same just more of it.

Realistically too, the stadium would be full to capacity for about 4 matches and 3 concerts, so lets say the 3 concerts are 3 nights each, so it would be used to capacity on about 13 days a year. Call it 15 for an odd replay because we're money grabbing and we love replays.

Imagine the trade that would bring to an area for those 15 days during the summer for the most part. Bars, food outlets, shops would all benefit greatly, not to mention the jobs from the initial construction project. But I feel that's something some on a welfare career actually fear.

wise_guy (Tyrone) - Posts: 1584 - 16/12/2014 11:10:35    1678776

Lads just on a point of info. Yes Clones's road infrastructure is not ideal, but its in a much more central location to more Ulster counties that Casement is. Its on the border of 3 counties, Monaghan Cavan and Fermanagh. A short hop from both Armagh and Tyrone (well South Tyrone). Casement would alienate a lot more counties and would make for longer distances to travel.

I'm not saying that traffic isn't bad at times in Clones, but then traffic certainly isn't ideal in Casement, and I cant remember the last time I was at a Ulster Championship match where casement was anywhere near capacity.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 16/12/2014 11:17:56    1678779

Tir Conaill Abu
County: Donegal
Posts: 963

1678774
Brend has it spot on, it was always political. Same here in the Free State with all the big money being allocated to the capital. Don't even get me started on the other stadium proposal for where? Dublin!
I was never a fan of the Casement Project but that was a selfish one as its very inaccessible for Donegal Folk but its a major blow to the GAA folk of Antrim and Belfast. If this project is doomed then I would like to see the Ulster Council and Croke Park making funds available in conjunction with funds raised by Antrim GAA to find a new home for the GAA folk of Antrim.
Personally I feel that the GAA should abandon the Casement Project on the basis that we have a small number of local residents, who seem well organised and well informed that are against it. The stadium isn't even under construction and look at the problems already. No matter what project would be granted by the authorities these residents will more likely object to any future non-sporting events that would be planned for Casement. We will have a similar situation as with the Croke Park residents. The GAA should look to alternatives and if the funding is to be withdrawn from the British Government then the GAA should open up proper consultations with the 9 county boards to establish what is best for the entire GAA community of ULSTER (9 not 6 counties)


Tir Chonaill, I have to agree, only considering the 6 counties because of funding arrangements from British Authorities is in my opinion a partitionist outlook, which goes against the ethos of the association. If there is funding of this sort to be given to a Ulster Council, arrangements should be made for two thirds to come from British Authorities and one third from The Irish Government. Once Funding is in place then the 9 County boards should be consulted on where the project is to be built. If thats in the 6 counties thats grand, but the 3 counties shouldn't be overlooked.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 16/12/2014 11:27:03    1678781

Don't get me wrong lads, Antrim GAA deserves a fit for purpose stadium, no doubt about it but it just seems that there has been absolutely no discussions taken place around this whole issue other than by the politicians. Already I've seen some of the Antrim posters discussing feasible alternative options which I am betting were never on the table. My objections to this project were and always will be that it is being done for all the wrong reasons, without proper consultation and without a contingency plan in place.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 16/12/2014 11:33:41    1678784

Hold on,

If Casement was upgraded to 40,000 what exactly would it be used for? Fill it 3 - 4 times a year and the odd concert here and there.

Bit of a waste to be fair lads.

You're missing the point of this stadium Daytona though don't worry - you're not alone. This was to be Ulsters equivalent of Croke Park but on a smaller scale. It was going to be used for Concerts and the likes and also have corporate facilities which meant it could be used every day of the week. When I lived in Dublin our company regularly used the facilities at Croke Park not only for the conference side of things but also for corporate events and even our Christmas party. And we weren't alone as each time I was there the conference rooms were being used. The only place in the North/Ulster where a stadium could be built that would meet the demand for such facilities is in Belfast and this is why the money was made available.

People who think that this money can now be used to build the stadium elsewhere are not very well informed and instead of having a stadium in Ulster which we could be proud of we are now going to have to put up with the mediocre stadiums we have - well, apart from us who will be worse off than before this whole thing started. But then again, we are a country of begrudgers so there will be plenty of people happy having to drive for hours and in queues just as long as they don't have to go near Belfast.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 16/12/2014 11:40:14    1678786

Apologies for not reading between the lines there naysayer!

Doh!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 16/12/2014 11:43:12    1678787

But there is no need for it to be anywhere near 40,000 though. Surely 25-30,000 would be a bit more realistic.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 16/12/2014 11:50:13    1678789