Casement Park: IFA state new estimated rebuild cost and agree to set up focus group to discuss project
A redeveloped Casement Park appears to be the only option in Northern Ireland for Euro 2028 but projected costs have spiralled
by Staff reporter · Irish MirrorThe IFA came under fire at a council meeting this week as they faced questions over the Casement Park redevelopment project.
The West Belfast GAA stadium has been proposed as a venue for the Euro 2028 finals which will be held in the UK and Ireland.
That’s despite the traditional home of Antrim GAA lying empty for over a decade with promises of a rebuild tied up in legal objections, financial arguments and government stalemate.
With the capacity of Windsor Park limited to 18,500, it is well short of the minimum required at European Championships - set by UEFA at 30,000.
A redeveloped Casement Park appears to be the only option but projected costs have spiralled with DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson saying recently: ‘Some people are talking now in figures of between £150 million and £200 million to complete the stadium. I don’t know how accurate that is.”
When pressed at an IFA Council meeting this week, IFA CEO Patrick Nelson said: “The figure being talked about is £120m.
“Work starts mid-2024 and assurances came from His Majesty’s Government that it would be done,” said Nelson in the Irish News
A number of those present took issue with the CEO’s backing for Casement for the Euro 2028 finals.
Chairman of the Association of Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs Gary McAllister asked that a focus group be set up ‘to discuss Casement Park’ and that was agreed to by the IFA.
Mid-Ulster FA representative William Burns, a former Newry and Mourne DUP councillor, stated his belief that any redevelopment work for the Euros should be done at Windsor Park.
“I believe the money could be spent here” he said. “I feel the 12,000 seats could be done and I haven’t heard a Plan B.
“I don’t know why, but they seem to be wearing blinkers when it comes to Casement Park. All the eggs are in one basket.”
Just last month, Ulster GAA revealed they were on the lookout for a new contractor to rebuild Casement Park in time for the Euro 2028 Championships.
The provincial council released a statement to say that their long-standing construction partner Heron Bros Limited 'will not proceed to deliver the main works contract'.
The original project was estimated to cost around £77million - with £62million coming from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure - but after a series of delays, a court was told in 2014 that each week building work was pushed back resulted in a further £60,000 increase.
A decade ago now, it was announced that the stadium would be rebuilt in a joint venture by the England-based Buckingham Group and the Northern Ireland firm Heron Bros. In September, the Buckingham Group went into administration.
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