Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy has claimed that the final bill to rebuild Belfast’s Casement Park will be much lower than the “wildly exaggerated costs of £400m-plus” rumoured in recent months.
Despite a substantial gap in funding remaining, with only £120m ($150m/€145m) secured so far, McAvoy claimed in his annual report that the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ulster GAA and Antrim GAA “are absolutely aligned on the need to finish what was started at Casement Park”.
McAvoy also stated that “promises made must now be delivered upon”.
Casement Park was initially included in the UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 but was later dropped as a proposed venue after the UK government announced that it would not contribute to the stadium’s redevelopment.
It has been derelict since 2013, and the inclusion was dependent on renovation work being completed in time for the tournament.
The government claimed that the estimated rebuild cost had risen to more than £400m.
Before its closure more than a decade ago, Casement Park boasted a capacity of 31,500 and those involved in the works aim to bring it back to a similar level.
Costs will be lower as the plans will no longer have to meet UEFA requirements, and will therefore be able to be at a “lower specification” according to the GAA.
Following a meeting with Northern Ireland’s Minister of Communities Gordon Lyons, GAA president Jarlath Burns said the redevelopment would be “basic and modest” but would still cater to more than 30,000 fans.
McAvoy said his focus is on delivering a stadium that would have been necessary to enable the hosting of Euro 2028 games, and that ambition has been reaffirmed in recent meetings with Lyons and secretary of state Hilary Benn.
“We have made clear our intention to build what has been promised to us in successive programmes for government, and for what we eventually secured planning approval for in July 2021,” he said.
