GAA to scale back Casement Park redevelopment plans
The GAA is set to reduce the scale of Casement Park redevelopment due to funding shortfalls; the new capacity will be lower than 34,000 and the stadium will not host Ulster senior finals.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is expected to significantly scale back its plans to redevelop Casement Park in west Belfast, according to sources familiar with the matter. The stadium's capacity will be much lower than the originally planned 34,000. As a result, it will not be able to host Ulster senior final matches and will instead be used for other provincial fixtures.
The move comes amid a long-running dispute over funding. The rebuilding of Casement Park was originally estimated to cost around £260 million, with £120 million jointly pledged by the Stormont Executive, the Irish government, and the GAA. The UK government had committed an additional £50 million, leaving a shortfall of £90 million.
Sources close to the GAA have confirmed that the association has no choice but to downsize the project. A new "statement of need" will be drawn up to reflect what can be built with available financial resources. "This is not what the GAA had planned, but it has been clear for some time that the required financial resources were not going to be met," a source said. "It is a disappointment, but the priority now will be to get the stadium built as soon as possible."
Casement Park was intended to be the flagship GAA stadium in Ulster, capable of hosting international soccer matches. However, after years of planning and political delays, the project is being drastically reduced. First Minister Michelle O'Neill had insisted that Casement Park would be completed during her tenure, but not at the originally planned scale.
