GAA Infastructure

CrabRevolution

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119940350#Comment_119940350

Nobody isn't comprehending that stadia age. What people are raising issues with is the cost and benefits to the taxpayer and the GAA. It's not the case that once a facility gets old, after no discussion it is immediately rebuilt with a similar sized replacement with no regard for the cost. Shopping Centers, airports and cinemas will do the maths and see if there is a business case for replacement, and if so, they'll see what sort of replacement they can afford and what return they can expect on it.

If the Fitzgerald Stadium rebuild is priced at €72 Million now, it's fair to assume that'll go to €90-100 Million in reality. The largest grants given in recent years in stadium funding have been about €10 Million, with the largest GAA stadium allocation being €6.3 Million. If we generously assume that Kerry GAA are given €12.5 Million in government funding (double the largest allocation to a GAA stadium) and then the equally unlikely scenario that the GAA match that, there'd be a shortfall of over €50 Million. Now if Kerry GAA intend on plugging that shortfall themselves all well and good, but I don't get the impression they can or even want to do that. This leaves 2 options;

1. Scale back the plans
2. Demand money from the government on a scale above and beyond anything given to a GAA stadium before (aside from Croke Park).

Judging from the name dropping of every local TD in the county board meeting, I take it they're going for option 2.

This is the basis of people's scepticism regarding Kerry's plans.

Did you smash it

one consideration is Killarney was put forward as a venue for a rugby world cup bid. That wasn’t a serious bid in my opinion but if ever do another bid Killarney will need serious serious investment as it’s way off that level right now.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941936#Comment_119941936

Why Killarney? You'd be better off putting twice the money into a more central stadium like Thurles or Portlaoise. A 40k all seater in portlaoise would make most sense.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941972#Comment_119941972

I’d say there’s no chance portlaoise gets redeveloped before Navan. They all need serious investment. There’s barely a county ground in the country that doesn’t need serious investment.

kerry might have the edge because there is a lot more fundraising money in Kerry than almost any other county.

im not really saying Killarney deserves precedence, so many GAA grounds are in awful shape. So many LOI grounds are in awful shape. So many minority sports facilities are in awful shape or non existent (year round ice rink, velodrome, many others)

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119942040#Comment_119942040

Thankfully the Velodrome has finally been greenlit for Sport Campus Ireland. The current CI HQ is an abandoned farmhouse on the Campus grounds.

Almost everywhere needs funds which is why I think Kerry will get nowhere near 70 odd k.

PeggyShippen

Limerick are going to build a permanent Ice rink as far as I know, something Like Belfasts. I think Munster is probably too big to have just 1 big stadium. It's the size of Wales. Say Limerick were playing Clare and Cork playing Tipp in the round Robin on the one day. You couldn't have just one large stadium. Connacht it could work..its only got the population of Cork.

Did you smash it

So we are getting an ice rink and velodrome? Signs we are moving into the present century

Pete_Cavan

Lads the one big stadium idea is nonsense. Everyone knows how parochial things are GAA (and that is mostly a strength rather than a weakness), tellingthe majority of counties that they will have to ravel for any reasonable sized game would do enormous damage to the GAA, cause a huge revolt and ultimately set the Association back.

It makes no sense anyway. There are existing stadiums there already, for the cost of fantasy new stadium, you could put that money into upgrades to 7 or 8 existing grounds and bring them to a decent standard. Nobody gets a white elephant, that would be a good thing.

randd1

I don't understand this obsession some people have with having large stadia in the GAA. To me it makes no sense. For example, a stadium that holds 20,000 with all stands/terraces/fan areas well covered with decent facilities (food/bar/toilets) instead of a 30,000 with one stand only covered would make more sense for most counties, especially given most games played at county grounds are club games or are league games. Adding an extra 10,000 to the capacity for 1 or 2 championship games a year makes no sense when a better equipped smaller stadium could offer more.

The same with not opening things up in general. there's no common sense there. What is the problem these days in having other sports using GAA facilities? I have no problem with it, neither do most people I know, particularly at local level. It would make more sense for example in my local area if the soccer and athletics clubs used the GAA facilities, given most people involved in them are also in some way involved in the GAA club in some form (even if it's just as a supporter at the adult games). We should be trying to be the centre of our communities and through the club gates, not shutting our neighbours/family/friends out. At least leave that option up to the individual clubs/counties instead of a central decision.

Our attitude to our infrastructure type and it's uses needs a bit of an update in general.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119947727#Comment_119947727

Most counties have copped the capacity thing at this stage.

I can't think of a single stadium currently planned by a county board that is over the top.

roadmaster

If i where the Westmeath or Offally county boards i would be talking to Lenister Rugby about hosting a few URC games every year.

In westmeaths case it would help pay for there upgrades and long term pay for coaches in schools and with Offaly it would help pay of there debt to the GAA for O Connor park redevelopment and again long term paying for extra coaches in schools

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948718#Comment_119948718

I can't see Leinster saying yes to that. Its one thing Munster playing in a higher end stadium like PuC but Westmeath have no hope. O'Connor Park is nic eon the stand side but if there is no bar currently (can't remember) that creates further complications for licencing and insurance.

roadmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948900#Comment_119948900

A bar and media could all be done by modular. The RDS is nothing to write home about with its asbestos stand. Lenister have a bit of a disconnect from the rest of the province and is still seen by some people as a D4 Team. Capacity would not be in issue for games against the smaller URC teams as Mullingar holds 10k and Tullamore nearly 20k.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948941#Comment_119948941

Leinster rugby probably don’t need to chance expanding at a cost of annoying their hardcore supporters/season ticket holders especially to go to an unimpressive stadium in a mid sized town.

edit- Leinster might listen if the offer is to be paid to go to tullamore to play an exhibition non regular season match against glamour opposition.

Pete_Cavan

The RDS provide a rugby pitch and erect temporary stands behind the goals every year which get removed for the Dublin Horse Show. If Leinster told them they are moving games elsewhere I'm sure the RDS would tell them "you still have to pay the same for these facilities even with less games".

Leinster would have no interest in those stadiums anyway.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948941#Comment_119948941

Its not as simple as popping up a bar. A license can be transferred and temporary event insurance got but I doubt Leinster will bother.

PuC already had all those things and so does the RDS. RDS also just happened to be in the right place.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948718#Comment_119948718

Leinster want to build on the work theyre doing in the other counties but moving a league game isnt going to happen or is necessary.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119948941#Comment_119948941

You need licences for bars and RDS at moment isnt fantastic but still far better than many county venue

Leinster has changed a lot about the "disconnect" with rest of province and the perception that its a D4 team is not true at all.

Leinster already get far more than 10K for any league game anyway.

They also have contracts with RDS and others for games there. the best that other grounds may see is a pre season game as Leinster cant play them in RDS and dont always want to play them in Dublin in Donnybrook or other club grounds in the city

CrabRevolution

What would be in it for Leinster Rugby? They probably wouldn't have any interest playing in Mullingar if they were offered the use of the stadium for free, never mind the suggestion to charge them so much that it will pay for the stadium to be upgraded.

PeggyShippen

There's no stadium outside of Dublin in Leinster with Corporate boxes or the facilities for a rugby game. I suppose you could have temporary modules installed and bars for a minor URC game. Is it worth it? Doubt it.

Cork has Corporate boxes and is a modern stadium. Theres talk of getting more rugby matches there which would make financial sense..maybe twice a year have games like the annual Leinster match on St Stephens day ect. That's 45,000 . And it would be full.

roadmaster

All i am trying to say is the GAA have grounds in most major towns around the country. As many people have pointed out upgrade works are needed in most.

As a way of raising funds for these works we should be looking at any possable way of using these assests to raise funds for these works and contributing towards the running of the county boards

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119958909#Comment_119958909

They should look at possible ways to use the stadia but rugby matches are not viable ones for the majority of counties as there is nothing in it for the rugby and the stadia are not good enough.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941972#Comment_119941972

The reason for Killarney is that it has the Hotel and accommodation infrastructure in place fir such an event. It has probably the next highest bedroom capacity compared to Dublin and Cork. When you take Kerry in general it probably has the highest bedroom capacity with maybe the exception of Dublin

WesternZulu

I think you're over stating the importance of hotels in terms of where GAA funds should be allocated for stadium upgrades.

99% of supporters do not stay overnight for championship games especially within their own province. Considering that nearly any game designated for Killarney would be a Munster championship match hotel room capacity is of little value.

Some fans stay overnight for league games that take place on Saturday night but considering the smaller cohort any reasonably sized town would able to accommodate demand. Anyway Tralee is more often than not used by Kerry for such games.

All-in-all there are far more worthy stadiums that should be funded ahead of Killarney. It doesn't have any redeeming factor to place it ahead of others

Christy Browne

Sod to be turned on Walsh Park project in Waterford City this week, raising capacity to 15,000.

https://waterford-news.ie/2022/12/06/sod-to-be-turned-on-walsh-park-project-this-week/

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963579#Comment_119963579

Good wee project, the type of thing which should be replicated in several counties.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963465#Comment_119963465

I am not stating the importance of hotel's in regard to GAA games. I am emphasising there importance in regard to other uses.

If Ireland ever gets the rugby WC then Killarney is guaranteed to be a host stadium as it has the other infrastructure that places in the Midlands has not got. Therefore government funding is probably guaranteed.

Killarney also has the advantage that with this bedroom infrastructure in that it can host concerts as well. The stadium is ideally situated within a five minute walk of Killarney town centre which is used to catering for large influxes of people

The stadium would see a lot of private funding from business interests in Kerry outside of GAA sponsorship funding.

Of all the proposed stadia at present Killarney is probably the one that is most commercially viable to go ahead.

Stacks is always sold out for Kerry National league matches. Lights would give the option to move at least one Saturday night match to Killarney.

It is virtually guaranteed a Munster football final every second year and will now have a home round Robin game as well. I think group winners are being given home advantage at the QF stage of the AI championship and if you finish seeing you get a home preliminary QF.

So 2-3 national League matches, a QF or pel QF and a MF every other year as well as a few concerts.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965086#Comment_119965086

Ireland will never host the RWC on its own, a standalone bid for 23 was stupid. The only possibility would be as joint hosts and in such a situation Killarney is unlikely to be used.

What you described does not justify spending €72m and you are being very generous, few of the games you mention would even get 20k.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965086#Comment_119965086

Kerry needs a few quality stands and some terraces for the summer and some shops same as everyone else.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965212#Comment_119965212

I dont know about that. It could depending on politics. A standalone bid for 23 wasnt stupid. Having a 3rd "home nations" world cup with games in 2/3/4 countries would have been worse.

The only possiblity was never as joint hosts. Stadiums still need to be modernised. Killarney even with all the hotels would do well with a modern stadium with event hosting capability.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965290#Comment_119965290

2023 bid was one of the most pointless doomed things I’ve seen in Irish sport.

id seriously doubt we could ever host a RWC, it would take an amount of money that no Irish government would countenance