Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

**Guitd** · 10/02/2016, 7:37 PM

Originally Posted by Olander

TBH, there are a few clubs in the Premier Division who should be told to upgrade their floodlights also. Us included. The floodlights in Terryland are very poor.

floodlights at EDP were changed and upgraded in 2010/11 from 500 lux to 800lux which is what is needed for live TV

**outspoken** · 10/02/2016, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

The club are aware that ours need upgrading but they can't afford to do it without grant aid.

Well no better time to start ringing up every politician in Longford/Westmeath and asking for a favour. We never seen to get any grants, are they being applied for at all or are we just being totally ignored is what you'd have to wonder.

**Longfordian** · 11/02/2016, 7:25 AM

There have been applications (I'm not sure for what or how much we looked for) and we've been "promised" funding a few times but it hasn't materialised as yet. Maybe as things start to improve economically we might have more chance but Longford as a county isn't important politically.

**outspoken** · 11/02/2016, 8:20 AM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

There have been applications (I'm not sure for what or how much we looked for) and we've been "promised" funding a few times but it hasn't materialised as yet. Maybe as things start to improve economically we might have more chance but Longford as a county isn't important politically.

Well nows the time to start jumping on the campaign bandwagon with so many of them claiming they want to 'fight for Longford'

**Dodge** · 11/02/2016, 8:57 AM

Pats received a grant about a year ago for floodlight upgrades but they're bogged down in internal Department of Sport stuff. Takes a while for the announced money to be released

**Mr A** · 11/02/2016, 9:34 AM

I've heard about GAA clubs who got grants and club officers took out a mortgage to get the work done quicker. Several years they are still paying the mortgage as the grant is still tied up in red tape. Some of the stuff that goes on is outrageous. One awkward official can bog everything down completely.

**Nesta99** · 11/02/2016, 9:35 AM

True it can take an age but the most common delay in grants being drawn down is the 20% of the grant that the grantee must raise. I doubt the sort of money for floodlighting upgrades is too prohibitive but is is a right pain when the grant is in the hundreds ok thousands.

On Harps new ground in Stranroler. I was looking for a post here but gave up. It explained some of the stuff with the builder and the funding of the new ground through the land swap of Finn Park. It was said that the funding was in place but there was issues with the builder. Additional grants are being sought to finish the new place which mut be recieved before the builder comences on the site!? So would imply funding isnt in place. Now if the builder erred in agreeing to a new ground for Finn Park while the land was at a premium but a property bubble subsequently bursts, isnt it his tough luck and should still honour the deal made at the time. Why the year on year delays unless said builder is a bit fooked financially themself. Think it was Nigel that explained it before??

**fionnsci** · 11/02/2016, 9:44 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Pats received a grant about a year ago for floodlight upgrades but they're bogged down in internal Department of Sport stuff. Takes a while for the announced money to be released

Any chance the floodrights are to be replaced with ones less intrusive to the view? Four in the corner would be a huge change. Or more strategically placed ones if there have to be 8.

**nigel-harps1954** · 11/02/2016, 9:46 AM

The problem with the builder was that they were in limbo. They were committed to other projects at the same time as the new stadium. A bit of a tug-of-war if you like. But when there's nothing there to work with, you can't work.

The grant money is all allocated. Drawing it down is another problem though. There's nothing in there about new grant applications or additional grants being sought.

Finn Park is part of the deal, but the builder doesn't get Finn Park until the new stadium is finished.

**Nesta99** · 11/02/2016, 10:18 AM

Ok! But for how many years is there a builder over subscribed. Often they will pay what is needed to draw down the grants so that they can get the money to pay themselves and get going. If all the grant money is there then it is a lucrative build, and when finished Finn Park gets thrown in on top. Seems a bit odd with priorities off a bit. How much is the total project 5-6million. Grants expire too if not drawn down. One of the reason of Dundalks sale of Hiney Park was to raise the money to draw down the grant that was due to expire.

**nigel-harps1954** · 11/02/2016, 10:37 AM

The original cost was something close to 8 or 9 million if I remember right, but that was nearly 10 years ago and included the price of Finn Park which has obviously been lowered significantly since.

The builder can't afford to put up the costs themselves far as I'm aware. They took an awful hit in the downturn. As well as this, we're constantly being told that the money should be released soon, so I can only assume the builder is being told the same.

I'm only speaking from what I'm told. I've no inside information from the builder and the club keep very hush on inside information too. This is the annoyance most fans have, that there's so little information from a fans run club, to the fans themselves. Hopefully we'll get more answers at the AGM if nothing has started by then, but I'd certainly hope we've a heap of work done by April or May.

**Dodge** · 11/02/2016, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by fionnsci

Any chance the floodrights are to be replaced with ones less intrusive to the view? Four in the corner would be a huge change. Or more strategically placed ones if there have to be 8.

costs a ton to get new floodlights though. Certainly when the ones already there cost 100k to upgrade

**outspoken** · 11/02/2016, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

The original cost was something close to 8 or 9 million if I remember right, but that was nearly 10 years ago and included the price of Finn Park which has obviously been lowered significantly since.

The builder can't afford to put up the costs themselves far as I'm aware. They took an awful hit in the downturn. As well as this, we're constantly being told that the money should be released soon, so I can only assume the builder is being told the same.

I'm only speaking from what I'm told. I've no inside information from the builder and the club keep very hush on inside information too. This is the annoyance most fans have, that there's so little information from a fans run club, to the fans themselves. Hopefully we'll get more answers at the AGM if nothing has started by then, but I'd certainly hope we've a heap of work done by April or May.

At least ye have an AGM to ask questions at unlike us.

**Dodge** · 12/02/2016, 2:11 PM

Originally Posted by RedBench

Then these costs will be earned through ticket prices?

I'm not sure what you mean here

**ForzaHoop** · 17/02/2016, 8:11 AM

Demolition and rebuild proposed for Dalymount Park
Dublin City Council proposes to develop site along with Phibsborough shopping centre

Dublin City Council bought Dalymount Park from Bohemians football club for €3.8 million last year.

The complete demolition of Dalymount Park soccer stadium and its redevelopment in a simultaneous construction project with a new Phibsborough shopping centre, is being considered by Dublin City Council.

Two weeks ago the council revealed plans to redevelop the sports ground it bought last year from Bohemians football club for €3.8 million as a 10,000 capacity all-seater stadium on a phased basis over a number of years.

However councillors were told on Tuesday the council is to seek talks with the new owners of the neighbouring 1960s shopping centre with a view to pursuing the concurrent development of the two adjoining sites.

“It would be better if it could be done in conjunction with the shopping centre. If that doesn’t happen we will do it on a phased basis, but our opinion is that the stadium is no longer fit for purpose and our preferred option would be the complete demolition and rebuilding,” the council’s senior executive officer Jim Beggan said.

The phased development would take considerably longer, Mr Beggan said with construction unlikely to begin before 2018 or 2019 and taking several years to complete. Phased construction would also be more disruptive for local residents he said, whereas if the stadium and shopping centre were being demolished and re-built “in one go” the pitch could be used as a site area.

The shopping centre is in the control of Nama, which offered it for sale last year with a with a guide price of €15 million. Nama has chosen a preferred bidder but has yet to confirm the sale or the identity of the bidder. However it is likely the new owner will seek to immediately demolish and redevelop the old shopping centre.
Discussions

The council is in discussions with Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe to part fund the €20 million stadium development. Although a positive outcome is expected, there would be a “significant shortfall” in funding Mr Beggan said. If a deal could be done with the shopping centre owners, in relation to “land share or financial contribution”, this would help with the costs, he said.

While he did not know what the preferred bidders plans were, he said it was likely they would have a “very direct impact on the stadium”.

The new stadium is also likely to be used for events other than football matches, he said. “It would be our hope that the stadium would go some way towards paying for itself so we would be looking at other possible uses, which may or may not be concerts.”

During the boom, Bohemians had planned to sell Dalymount and move to a green-field site close to Dublin Airport. It was expected at the time that the shopping centre and the sports grounds would be combined to create a new mixed-use “village centre” for Phibsborough.

But the plan collapsed when the economy crashed and the club got into severe financial difficulties, with the purchase by the council last year helping to clear substantial liabilities which had been amassed.

**White Horse** · 17/02/2016, 8:15 AM

Originally Posted by ForzaHoop

The council is in discussions with Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe to part fund the €20 million stadium development.

Sounds like an awful lot of money for the plans that were published earlier. €20 million would sort out a lot of LOI grounds.

**Nesta99** · 17/02/2016, 1:49 PM

€20mil? As mentioned leave the Jodi Stand alone, develop Connaught Rd side and the Des Kelly Stand. The shopping centre could be a combined project where corporate boxes could be included along with food outlets that open during the day and on match night with views of the ground somehow. Thats 6000 seats added to the Jodi so just shy of the 10k capacity with some wriggle room with the shopping centre development. Unless the 20mil includes building the shopping centre for someone too it is a lot for a 10k stadium even in the current 'recovering' economy where construction folk are desperate to drive build pricing back to 2006-7 levels. There are more ifs and buts to this than there was with previous sales and or development at Daleymount.