QuoteGreat news, this stadium is going to happen!!
Drogheda to show way with new stadium
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from todays Indo
Gerry
McDermott
EIRCOM League clubs are losing thousands of euro every year because of the poor standard of facilities at most grounds.
They are struggling to rectify the situation because the majority are cash-strapped entities living on a week to week existence and unable to generate the large amount of capital funding need to undertake ground developments.
Under the FAI Licensing programme clubs were asked to draw up a club infrastructure plan which must deliver the criteria looked for by 2010.
This includes a set number of covered seats, bigger dressing rooms, improved floodlighting, proper turnstiles, effective ticketing systems, control rooms, first aid rooms and media facilities.
Meeting their licensing requirements is the primary objective of all clubs and so tight are their budgets that there is usually no money left to include the type of facilities that could generate income for clubs outside of match days like bars, restaurants, conference centres and meeting rooms.
Little wonder then that the FAI and clubs are closely looking at a revolutionary new system that can cut the costs of building sporting infrastructure by up to 50 per cent.
Drogheda United are set to announce that their new 10,000-seater stadium on the edge of the town is to be built by Sports Facilities International.
Permission
Within six months of planning permission being granted, Drogheda United will be handed the keys to a brand new stadium which will be ready to move into and will come with a guaranteed life of at least 60 years. SFI will do everything from building the stands, laying the pitch, installing the floodlights, erecting electronic scoreboards and providing a ticketing system and all for around €10m, or €1,000 per seat.
That's a lot cheaper than the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road which is going to cost €7,300 per seat and that's why SFI are set to revolutionise the sports stadium markets by being able to deliver affordable stadiums up to a capacity of 40,000.
Drogheda United director Chris Byrne explained that the cost savings were a huge attraction for them.
"We have been working on this project for the last two years and went all over Europe looking at stadiums. We saw SFI's work when we visited Gloucester Rugby Club and saw the new stand they had built there for 55 per cent of the cost of a conventional building."
SFI was born after its Project and Operations Director Edward McCarthy was involved in a plan to build a new stadium for Brazilian club Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The project collapsed because the costs were prohibitive and it was while searching for a way to build a stadium without breaking the bank that McCarthy discovered a new way of tackling the project.
"We use steel which is pre-engineered in a factory and then erected on site. We don't need deep foundations.
"The foundations of an orthodox stadium could be 13 metres deep whereas ours would only require foundations that are one or two metres deep.
Savings
"There are huge savings using this modular approach and we offer a turn-key package as well as building stadiums in steps depending on the clients' budget and plans for the future.
"It's basically like working with a Meccano set and we can dismantle a stand and erect it elsewhere if necessary. The flexible construction means that seating capacities can be increased at a later stage by simply removing the roof, raising a tier, and replacing the roof."
SFI are currently building a new 6,000-seater stadium for Scottish club Gretna and a 20,000-seater for Royal Antwerp which will also include a casino plus retail and commercial facilities.
They have also made presentations to UEFA, the FAI, the GAA and the World Cup Cricket Committee and gained approval from each organisation for their stadium concept.
The FAI are also likely to look at the SFI method when it comes to building the proposed 20,000-seater stadium at Abbotstown.
FAI Licensing Manager Bob Breen admits that Eircom League clubs could find the method an attractive way of implementing their club infrastructure plans.
"We are looking at this very closely to see if it can be more cost efficient than the traditional methods because it would have great appeal by delivering better value for money especially as most clubs use government grants to fund their projects," said Breen
Great news, this stadium is going to happen!!
DAN CONNOR HATES CITY, HE HATES LANGERS
sounds like great news indeed. Are there any pic's of SFI stadia completed ? This would be a great boost for the league if we could have modern stadia and 1/2 the cost.
I didnt know there are plans for a 20,000 seater stadium out in abbotstown !! I thought it would only be 10,000. 20,000 would be ideal for a lot of european games. An E.L club should really relocate there TBH.
$hels?Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Together with all our hearts.
Who are they ? But maybe it would be an excellent move for Shelbourne FC to play all their future european group stages matches.
10,000 for an Intertoto Cup First Round match.......?
In fairness Steve if ye were offered the inter-toto spot at the start of last season i think ye would have taken it.....
I suppose it is shels were talkin about though so haha
"They have the internet on computers now!" ,Homer Simpson
I was just loving the arrogance of a Shels fan assuming they'll always be involved in big European games. Mwa, mwah, mwahhhhhh !In fairness Steve if ye were offered the inter-toto spot at the start of last season i think ye would have taken it.....
I suppose it is shels were talkin about though so haha
And if someone had offered Cork second place in the league, an FAI Cup win, and a 3rd-round UEFA Cup appearance at the start of last season, I'm sure a lot of your fans would've been happy to take that combo deal with a free Vienetta as well
Not sure about that,aim for last season was to win the league after finishing 2nd and 3rd the previous 2 seasons,personally I would have been VERYI was just loving the arrogance of a Shels fan assuming they'll always be involved in big European games. Mwa, mwah, mwahhhhhh !
And if someone had offered Cork second place in the league, an FAI Cup win, and a 3rd-round UEFA Cup appearance at the start of last season, I'm sure a lot of your fans would've been happy to take that combo deal with a free Vienetta as well
disappointed if we hadnt won the league,fai cup final was a bonus but the league really was the priority
"They have the internet on computers now!" ,Homer Simpson
That's it?
i thought this thread was about drogs new stadiium
what happens after 60 years...it starts to fall apart and a new one must be built?Sounds good though.
I would be surprised if any stand in the country will be of proper quality in 60 years time - whats everyone else going to do
Btw it says its guaranteed life is 60 years - doesnt mean it will have to be totall rebuilt in 60 years
DAN CONNOR HATES CITY, HE HATES LANGERS
i wouldnt like to see a stadium last for 60 years. 30 years is long enough to be honest. Stadia make improvments in design every year , removable pitches, heating, services etc etc. In 30 years time most modern day stadia will be looking their age (apart from the Wemblys etc)
Well I don't work in the concrete business myself but they sound like cowboys to me.I would be surprised if any stand in the country will be of proper quality in 60 years time - whats everyone else going to do
Btw it says its guaranteed life is 60 years - doesnt mean it will have to be totall rebuilt in 60 years
says it all really
SFI are currently building a new 6,000-seater stadium for Scottish club Gretna and a 20,000-seater for Royal Antwerp which will also include a casino plus retail and commercial facilities.
They have also made presentations to UEFA, the FAI, the GAA and the World Cup Cricket Committee and gained approval from each organisation for their stadium concept.
The FAI are also likely to look at the SFI method when it comes to building the proposed 20,000-seater stadium at Abbotstown.
well ye probably know shag all then I suppose - well the other grounds they've been involved in dont seem to have any complaints!!
Thanks for the concern though, would expect something like that from you anyway
DAN CONNOR HATES CITY, HE HATES LANGERS
Well are you or thejollyrodger experts then?
Also I doubt either of those two grounds are anywhere near 60 years old
Well im no expert but one of the directors of our club has a massive constuction company so I would guess he knows a thing or two about it
Its the way more and more things are going up these days - in already built form before going on site
DAN CONNOR HATES CITY, HE HATES LANGERS
Have to say, I'm surprised at how trusting you are of this director, for a drogs fan!Well im no expert but one of the directors of our club has a massive constuction company so I would guess he knows a thing or two about it
Its the way more and more things are going up these days - in already built form before going on site
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