Re-Development of Ravenhill

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:00 pm

Gaz of course we will hear all sorts of spin from the government over the next lot of months about how beneficial this new development will be for the people of NI. But anyone with half a brain knows that thats a lotta bollix

Cockatrice · Post by **Cockatrice** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:05 pm

Sometime ago the final sites for the football were choosen by the BOC and the proposed site for NI failed to make the cut. So the decision has already been made.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:16 pm

That's my point - it's only "spin". Just hope everyone's too sensible to believe it!!!
Remember - don't believe everything you read in the papers.

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:35 pm

lets just wait and see eh!?

these things have a habit of changing every few days!

cables · Post by **cables** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:26 am

Gaz, I read the BT last evening. As I read through â€œNew stadium at Maze could stage footballâ€, I began to realise that I had read EXACTLY that before. On checking, I discovered that the first half of the article you posted was repeated verbatim by the BT. It seems that these newspapers just cut and paste from the Press Association.

Those pushing the stadium at the Maze obviously do not care who they walk over to achieve their objective. The Press Association in this article are at least guilty of omission when they say â€œHampden Park in Glasgow, Villa Park in Birmingham and St Jamesâ€™s Park in Newcastle have already been earmarked as venues for Olympics soccer matches.â€

The omission being that they do not say that WINDSOR PARK is also part of the soccer portion of the London2012 bid!

Other movers and shakers are also getting in on the same act.

Also from the BT â€“ this time Logie.

Chatting to the Sports Council for Northern Ireland's Chief Executive Eamonn McCartan, he was telling me some of the positive spin-offs we can expect.

Provided we get the facilities in place - and that means the new multi-sport national stadium - then we will have three matches from the football tournament hosted here in the province.

Take something you already have, pretend you do not have it then use that as a lever!!!!

When the PA write: â€œsources close to a bid to build a new 30,000 seater stadium on the site of the jail, where 10 republican hunger strikers died in 1981, suggested todayâ€™s decision by the International Olympic Committee could boost funding for the project.â€ â€“ I wonder who they could be referring to?

These people, disrespect our intelligence and by doing so lower my respect for them.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:41 am

Good spot Cables.
What annoys me most is their assumption that everybody in N Ireland thinks the Maze stadium is a good thing. The football authorities think it's good, but only because they're the only people who want to use it. Many football fans have said they're against it, but they're just being ignored as well.

David Craig · Post by **David Craig** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:57 pm

It all boils down to the sums.

If Ulster are to play at the Maze then they will be charged a rent for the ground. This is an additional cost over and above the annual running costs of Ravenhill.

If 3 Heiney cup matches are played at the Maze then they will have to be sure of getting a crowd greater than the capacity of Ravenhill for each match or increase the cost of match tickets.

The other non financial problem will be that the stadium will be half full / empty......... not a great environment for the traditional support given at Ravenhill.

Like it or loathe it ( I am of the latter) the Maze will be here to stay but Ulster Rugby will only use it while it is financially viable.

Cockatrice · Post by **Cockatrice** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 10:31 pm

David - UR haven't even committed to 3 HEC games there indeed as best as I can make out the only committment from rugby is the IRFU to play an Autumn International every 2 years.

Ulster have stated that they may consider moving a home Q-F or S-F to the new stadium if the demand calls for it. The capacity of the new Ravenhill will be 14,000 and Ulster have sold out only once since 1999 so demand may not be an issue even if we did qualify. We would have to not only win the group but be amongst the top 4 group winners a tall order.

Best we can hope for is the redevelopment of Ravenhill.

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 10:34 pm

It all boils down to the sums.

ThaT is very true... I think there is a break even point and then a point at which it is financially viable to move to the Maze or whereever it is built and if it is built.

Colin

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 10:43 pm

It all boils down to the sums.

but do they have a calculator?