Northern Ireland Stadium News

A new report has identified (the BBC web site covered it too, but it’s hidden away) 5 sites in Belfast that could support a stadium. Those locations are Ormeau Park, the Danny Blanchflower playing fields in east Belfast, the North Foreshore off the Fortwilliam roundabout of the M2, Maysfield and the Boucher Road playing fields. Estimated costs for the project have been quoted at around £75 million - less than a third of the estimated cost of the maze - and it’s believed that Drivers Jonas have been involved in drawing up a business plan with Belfast City Council, who commissioned the report.

Cllr Bob Stoker, chair of BCC’s Parks and Leisure committee said a comprehensive case has now been made for a stadium based in the city and that while some councillors had site-specific questions, these would be answered before the council decide on their preferred location in the next couple of months.

With increasing rumours that the Maze plans are set to be scrapped, Councillor Stoker’s committee couldn’t have picked a better time to hand this report to the Executive who must now be considering other options.  Not only this, but last week the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland  Supporters Clubs released a highly critical analysis of the government-commissioned PwC report released earlier this year.

Links:

• Potential Sites
• PwC Report
• AONISC Response to PwC Report

A story has emerged today that confirms what football fans have been saying for a long time. The government is happily bribing and blackmailing the IFA into supporting the white elephant at the Maze. 

It’s been reported that the IFA will be offered £2million to cover the costs of repairing Windsor Park so it is fit to stage internationals in the short-term future, and maybe even a payoff to help cover the costs of breaking the 80 year lease with Linfield for home internationals, but only on the condition that they commit finally and publicly to the Maze project, regardless of what their fans actually want.

The government are running scared. They know the Belfast proposals are viable and they’ve siezed on the storm damage to Windsor Park as ammunition for the gun they are now holding to football’s head.  Democracy in action.

Don’t give in to blackmail. Sign our petition to save local sport.

While something more sinister is rumoured to be the case (eg Westminster politicians seeking to advance their career by getting rid of the ‘What to do with the Maze’ question), the main reason given by the government for not locating Northern Ireland’s new stadium in Belfast is money. The land is too expesnive.

However, we believe that the government could easily apply for lottery funding for the new stadium. This is illustrated by past awards, which have been made of up to £120m for sports projects. With the estimated cost of land at Titanic Quarter £1m per acre, and an estimated 12-15 acres required, surely a lottery award could offset the costs of a stadium for Belfast!

Read the full Lottery Grants story right here on Stadium For Belfast