The UK Government has pledged £50 million towards the long-awaited redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast, marking a significant step forward in efforts to finally bring the derelict stadium back to life.
The funding, announced as part of the UK Spending Review on Tuesday, has been ring-fenced specifically for the rebuild and will be delivered over the next four years.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn confirmed the allocation, describing it as a “firm commitment” to revitalising the site, which has lain dormant since 2013.
The most recent attempt to get it over the line as a host stadium for Euro 2028, before reverting to Ulster GAA, fell down on the British Government failing to support what was at the time an even greater cost.
The investment brings the total funding secured to just short of £170 million.
This includes £62.5 million previously committed by the Stormont Executive, up to €50 million (around £42 million) from the Irish Government via the Shared Island initiative, and £15 million from the GAA itself.
However, with revised cost estimates for the stadium now sitting at around £270 million, a significant funding gap of about £100 million remains.
That’s a big gap to bridge before the diggers can get on site. The way everyone is looking at it today is that all these various funding pots need to be combined and then multiplied to meet the cost estimate.
That’s a lot of bake sales, race nights or bucket collections. Perhaps it could be met by land sales, if there is a store of land being held by Ulster GAA, or by an appeal to philanthropic interests. We can explore those different options over the coming weeks.
The other is to get a good QS in to look once again at the spec and the costs.
£270 million is a lot of money, particularly through a GAA lens.
Pairc Uí Chaoimh would have been built, even with overruns and much angst at times in the process, for around one-third of the cost and with a capacity of 10,000 more. Sure, it was eight years ago, but still.
And St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, which opened this year. It has a capacity of only 13,000, but you could build 15 for the same budget as is being considered in Belfast.
I’m no construction engineer, but surely it is worth a look at this number before wrestling with the monster of finding £100 million down the back of the sofa.
GAA President Jarlath Burns welcomed the UK Government’s contribution, calling it “a crucial milestone” and a signal of renewed momentum. “There is much more work to do,” he added, emphasising the need for all partners to remain committed to delivering the project.
Ulster GAA President Michael Geoghegan described the latest funding boost as a “positive step forward” but stressed the importance of moving quickly: “We now need to see diggers on site.”
Political leaders also weighed in. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill hailed the funding as a “significant step forward.”
Casement Park was originally earmarked as a host venue for Euro 2028, but delays and spiralling costs—at one point estimated at £400 million—led to its removal from the tournament lineup earlier this year. With the scope now reduced and costs revised downward, stakeholders hope the project can regain momentum.
The GAA and political leaders have indicated that, while challenges remain, there is renewed determination to get the project over the line. Planning permission is already in place, and if full funding can be secured, work on the new stadium could begin later this year.
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SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This is a major financial step forward but far from the final piece needed. As outlined above we would urge that the cost estimate and the spec for the satdium be scrutinised first, an exercise that may see the project moving quicker than if we have to wait for the current funding gap to be filled.
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