Connacht Rugby are delighted to announce historic redevelopment plans for the Sportsground Stadium.
The project will deliver a modern, fit for purpose rugby stadium in addition to a new high-performance training centre for Connacht Rugby while also retaining existing greyhound racing facilities.
The redevelopment plan has been made possible following an arrangement reached between the Irish Greyhound Board and the freehold owners of the Sportsground, the Galway Agricultural and Sports Society, with respect to a shared vision for the future of the Sportsground.
The announcement comes on the back of a rigorous process to identify the optimum location, composition and design of the proposed new redevelopment in addition to an independent cost benefit analysis.
The development will cost in the region of €30m and will have a capacity of 12,000 spectators. It is intended that the development will be funded through a combination of public funds, most notably through the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund, and private funding.
The arrangement with the Irish Greyhound Board will ensure that rugby fixtures and greyhound racing events will continue to be staged at the venue. The multi-use facility will also be made available for the hosting of other sporting fixtures and events where such demand arises.
The strategic benefits of the project to the entire region are also closely aligned with the Government’s National Planning Framework, Project Ireland 2040 as well as the recently launched National Sports Policy, all of which highlight the need for a regional spread of capital investment throughout the country.
New stadium for the westies
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New stadium for the westies
https://www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-r ... rtsground/
Paul.
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Re: New stadium for the westies
The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
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- BaggyTrousers
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Re: New stadium for the westies
If you are afraid of being blown away, don't go SmallMindWeeWorld wrote:The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Maybe that is why they are improving it dipshit
You? Think? that'll be the day ballbeg.
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Re: New stadium for the westies
WeeWorld wrote:The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Have to disagree. I have enjoyed every single visit to the sportsground. Never found the dogtrack a hindrance. Have even been quite happy to watch from behind the posts. It can be windy though
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Re: New stadium for the westies
Can't die too soon.WeeWorld wrote:Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
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Big Neville Southall
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Re: New stadium for the westies
Fair enough but in a few years I can see the dog track being abandoned. Even Dublin has only one now.pwrmoore wrote: Have to disagree. I have enjoyed every single visit to the sportsground. Never found the dogtrack a hindrance. Have even been quite happy to watch from behind the posts. It can be windy though
I agree with you if it wasn't for Government funding it would be gone already.big mervyn wrote:Can't die too soon.WeeWorld wrote:Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
http://www.thejournal.ie/greyhound-indu ... 2-Jun2017/
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Re: New stadium for the westies
On the occasions of your visits to the Sportsground would you describe your state aspwrmoore wrote:WeeWorld wrote:The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Have to disagree. I have enjoyed every single visit to the sportsground. Never found the dogtrack a hindrance. Have even been quite happy to watch from behind the posts. It can be windy though
a) sober
b) a couple of shandies, but driving home
c) a few in me
d) rightly
e) blokt
Re: New stadium for the westies
C to D - what's that got to do with it?BR wrote:On the occasions of your visits to the Sportsground would you describe your state aspwrmoore wrote:WeeWorld wrote:The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Have to disagree. I have enjoyed every single visit to the sportsground. Never found the dogtrack a hindrance. Have even been quite happy to watch from behind the posts. It can be windy though
a) sober
b) a couple of shandies, but driving home
c) a few in me
d) rightly
e) blokt
Paul.
C'mon Ulsterrrrrrrrr!
C'mon Ulsterrrrrrrrr!
Re: New stadium for the westies
I rest my case.pwrmoore wrote:C to D - what's that got to do with it?BR wrote:On the occasions of your visits to the Sportsground would you describe your state aspwrmoore wrote:WeeWorld wrote:The greyhound track makes it too open plan for me plus there's zero provision for fans at either end which is terrible.
Greyhound racing is a dying sport but has a lot government funding I think.
Have to disagree. I have enjoyed every single visit to the sportsground. Never found the dogtrack a hindrance. Have even been quite happy to watch from behind the posts. It can be windy though
a) sober
b) a couple of shandies, but driving home
c) a few in me
d) rightly
e) blokt
Re: New stadium for the westies
To be fair, you're a category or two below me.
Re: New stadium for the westies
Sportsground and Galway in general is one of the best away trips in the league, looking forward to their plans coming through.
On the dog cruelty issues there are 2 trainers near me and I can assure you their animals are spared nothing in comfort or attention, their dogs when finished racing normally finish their lives as family pets either with owner's or others, they are lovely dogs and very docile around a house but certainly not the sort of animal you keep in a town.
Can't speak for others though so wouldn't be surprised if there are some badly treated.
On the dog cruelty issues there are 2 trainers near me and I can assure you their animals are spared nothing in comfort or attention, their dogs when finished racing normally finish their lives as family pets either with owner's or others, they are lovely dogs and very docile around a house but certainly not the sort of animal you keep in a town.
Can't speak for others though so wouldn't be surprised if there are some badly treated.
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Rory Best
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Re: New stadium for the westies
If they can build something with a bit of class like this in Hungary, why can't we?
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Re: New stadium for the westies
Totally agree.Rooster wrote:Sportsground and Galway in general is one of the best away trips in the league.
Fair play to the Westies, they have grown their fan base and now have much bigger crowds than they used to.
Unlike the Mexicans, as their numbers grew, their friendliness didn't fall off.
Todgers v Mexico at Donkeybrook was a joy to attend but RDS, much less so (and not just because of the spankings they have given us).
Westie supporters have retained their friendliness and its a delight to go there. Galway is also a small and great city to visit.
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Re: New stadium for the westies
They need to make sure they keep the standards up on the pitch but it is good to see them getting this redevelopment. Hopefully with their fancy new stadium they won't develop airs and graces.
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Re: New stadium for the westies
When you share your ground with greyhounds you're unlikely to ideas about yourself.Shan wrote:They need to make sure they keep the standards up on the pitch but it is good to see them getting this redevelopment. Hopefully with their fancy new stadium they won't develop airs and graces.
In 2015, there were 1642 greyhound race meetings with an aggregate attendence of 641,622.
That works out at an average of 387 per meeting.
What would they be doing in a stadium that can hold 12,000?
If they got rid of the greyhounds they could put in a 12k stadium that looks the part rather than a wind tunnel with a stand on either side..
If they were really ambitious the city could do something like that Hungarian stadium that would be a tourist attraction in its own right.
https://www.igb.ie/globalassets/power-r ... r-2017.pdf
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