I think creating a match day experience ie bar open at 5pm, music on before and after is a fantastic idea and opening the YDC would definitely increase income as it’s a nightmare trying to get across from the shed to the Lilywhite for a pint. Bar did a killing at the European game this year when it was open and as you said, nice to have proper toilets to useOriginally Posted by oriel
http://www.extratime.ie/articles/220...medium=twitter
Plans for a new stand and improvements to the main stand in Tallaght have been put forward and seem to have been well received.
Has the recently built stand officially been opened yet or will that happen at the start of the new season?
No it hasn't been opened yet. Probably happen in pre season or first game of the season
It would be fantastic to have such a stadium associated with the league but I wonder what the justification is for a 4th stand? What was the justification for the 3rd stand? At a time when homelessness and the health service are major issues I'm surprised it's being supported. Also the article mentions SDCC using the Governments major sports infrastructure fund, again what is the justification for this given there are so many dilapidated stadiums around the league?
I don't expect you to have all these answers btw.
I take your point but its the same justification as building Dalymount or indeed Croke Park or the Aviva, if we don't build anything in this country until everyone has a house and there are no waiting times in hospitals we will never build anything.
That sounds very harsh and i don't mean it too but genuinely a stadium like this has to be a massive positive for the league and its not like every other sport from horceracing to Greyhounds isnt out there.
I think a major part of the justification is that recently it was taking rather long to get served prosecco & caviar during half time in the Glenmalure Suite. Adding another floor above the Glenmalure Suite in the main stand will further enhance the match day experience; providing for faster access to alcohol and refreshments, more comfortable surroundings for potentially very thirsty hoops, and just a nice cosy area to recharge for the second half. A welcome bonus is that the new floor might have windows to view proceedings in the warmth of an indoor setting. Might never need to venture out into the cold at all! Very much needed and long overdue in my opinion.
As for another stand? Desperately needed. I can only speak for myself when I say I felt felt quite claustrophobic during some of the bigger games, having only one seat free beside me with which to hang my faux fur coat on was an absolute 'mare. As well as additional space, it will finish the stadium off, ease that dreadful northerly draught, and make for a more splendid spectacle.
Projections estimate it will be used once every three blue moons, so definitely a valuable addition and will earn the club extra money for big matches. Besides, 10k seater just seems like a more round, nicer figure than 8k seater. You cant have enough lego seats.
Last edited by Buller; 11/12/2018 at 2:34 PM.
I don't disagree with that, I'm just surprised it seems to be getting the go ahead so easily, probably because I'm so used to LOI related infrastructure plans derailing. Lets hope other CC's take note and are as successful with approval and funding
Maybe they have another main tenant who can make better use of all these new facilities in their sights?
Dundalk re branding as Tallaght Oriels or Leinster Lilywhites?
Anyway , good for SDCC in having a bit of ambition in developing sports facilities to a high standard.
one of their facilities. from my playing days (not that long ago) there was hardly a changing room facility at a SDCC owned pitch anywhere.
DLRCC and DCC were miles ahead and id say its still the same today
Yeah exactly. Here's hoping the other CC's take note of what can be done. It has no doubt encouraged DCC to take a hands-on approach to developing their own rival facility on the northside in the form of Dalymount.
It's a completely separate budget so I guess the justification is we have it now let's use it and get the foot firmly in the door before Dalymount as the 4th stand will put tallaght at a bigger capacity than Dalymount can reach and mean its in a very reasonable "complete" state so SDCC could make a very good case for being the home of the u21s and womens teams since Dalymounts only claim over them would be the mens first team played there 30 years ago and its closer to the City.
As for the sports infrastructure fund, its pretty much everyone for themselves with that, SDCC can't apply but say "but if Dundalk apply and aren't successful and we are give them the money instead". The question you're asking is better aimed at the people in charge of the fund than the applicants
The sports capital funding is allocated by government so ringfenced. Whether the amount, which I think is paltry tbh, is ethical considering the housing shortage is a big debate in itself. One of the errors of the past was to have major housing developments without proper amenities included. Justification of having a proper stadium built by SDCC i'm sure is that they feel that it will generate significant income in due course. We should be lauding SDCC's vision and ambition on this project and should be something that is referred to for other local authorities to follow, especially if done in a manner where beyond the initial capital outlay that such facilities add to the council's coffers. It's not just the income that these facilities can generate though but the opportunity for contributing a focal point for these societies, improving social inclusion etc, there are lots of intangible benefits!
It's very true that this funding is available for anybody to apply to. Having a successful application where a project isnt piecemeal should be Local Authority led. This would lessen the duplication of projects whereby one fully completed project should happen rather than a number of bitty facilities. GAA projects are the worst for this where the parochial nature of that organisation leads to clubs genuinely building unnecessary stands or 'community centres' sometimes only a few KM's apart but none funded to the extent where the facilities are actually complete so they can properly contribute the the improved quality of that community after being done under a restrictive budget.
I dont know why Dundalk are not applying for these grants annually though im presuming that there might be reasons - I do know that there have been regular meetings between Louth County Council and the club so there is probably something in the pipeline. I would think that these meetings are less to do with being part of a completely new stadium project and more to do with ironing out any possible planning issues so that when grant applications are made followed by planning applications that the grant can be drawn down and not be lost due to any planning restrictions (the wedge of grant money wasted on changing the new Finn Park is a good example for why this is needed). The attitude of LCC is shown pretty loud in the way that the County Ground project has now stalled even though funding has been secured. Alternatively they are right behind the redvelopment of the Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda for Drogheda United. There are a lot of advantages of getting United Park vacated for the HSE to be able to use that land. Ideally moving O'Raghallaighs GFC (and that excuse for a County Ground) which backs on to United Park would allow OLOL hospital expand to be fit for purpose rather than being landlocked as it is now. It is this that has LCC willing to be proactive in a stadium development for DUFC.
All stadium development for LoI should be seen in nothing but a positive light. GAA and IRFU have had the greatest slice of sports capital funding for decades so it is time for football and athletics to get facilities funding. Actually there is an example here where the Dalymount project can be questioned, taking away the sentimental attachment to Dalymount for football fans, it would make more sense to me to develop Morten Stadium fully and could accomodate Bohs and Shels while also being a proper home for Irish athletics also. That wont go down too well with Bohs fans but the potential is there to consolidate funding in to one project and make a really top job of it. But DCC and FCC are unlikely to want to groundshare if you pardon the pun.
Without an overall strategy from the FAI on stadium development we will continue to have new one stand 'improvements' like Athlone, half built one stand grounds like in Stranrolar and indeed Tallaght still if it wasnt for SDCC intervention. Any improvements that have been made over the last deacde or 2 have been despite of the FAI and not because of. So it grinds my gears when you see Delaney alluding to Turners Cross, Brandywell, Showgraounds, Tallaght as an achievement or committment to the league. DCC will develop Dalymount and the suits in the FAI will roll up on its opening clapping themselves on the back.
Last edited by Nesta99; 12/12/2018 at 6:09 PM.
Have Dundalk applied for any State funding to improve Oriel Park ?, be surprised if they didn't. I think I read somewhere that the new stand behind the goal in Tallaght cost in the region of €2 million, surely Dundalk could afford that with all the money they have banked over the last few years and with Champions League to come again next season. A new stand like that at Oriel Park would make a massive difference. Personally if I was a Dundalk fan I would be pretty annoyed with the lack of any infrastructural investment or at least future development plans or commitments from the club in working towards improving the ground.
Dundalk fans are pretty annoyed that even some painting hasnt been done. We hope that the regular meetings with Louth County Council means that there is something in the pipelines. I doubt it would be in conjunction with LCC, but the meetings could be to iron out any potential preplanning issues.
Would Louth Co Co not just turn around and say to those fans " get your owners to do up the ground- they have the money"?
Shamrock Rovers- Where trophies are won and envy is scarce
Probably, if the meetings were with fans
See Nesta's post above
Usually the way it works is the county council (any of them) will turn around and say "you have money - would you like more?"
Im not sure what your angle is on this is really. That Rovers are 50% owned by a very wealthy vulture fund it could be argued that SDCC should ask Rovers (part) owners to pony up as they have the money also!?
Last edited by Nesta99; 14/12/2018 at 2:11 AM.
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