THE PROPOSED MULTI-million euro redevelopment of Casement Park received a major boost yesterday when the GAA accepted a letter of offer from the Northern Ireland Executive.
Plans for a €90m revamp of the west Belfast stadium have been delayed until the end of next year it was announced last week, but a meeting between the Ulster Council and the GAA’s National Management Committee was held on Thursday and a sum of €73m was agreed upon.
That means Croke Park will stump up around €17m for the work, which will see Casement Park transformed from its current 32,000 capacity to a 40,000-seater by September 2015.
A design team will be appointed in the coming months an constructed is scheduled to begin by late 2013.
Ulster GAA president Aogan O Fearghail told UTV Sport: “This was an important decision for the Ulster Council and the GAA at central level and I am delighted that we have received approval and endorsement from both bodies.
The unanimous acceptance of the letter of offer is a significant milestone in both the Casement Park redevelopment project and the ongoing implementation of the Ulster GAA Strategic Action Plan and Vision.”
