GALWAY IS SET to become a budding hub of Irish football as a 103-acre site will now be used to build a €20 million soccer centre of excellence.
The Connacht Tribune are today reporting that the GAA’s Mountain South site will be used to establish one of the biggest soccer hubs of its kind in the country.
The Comer Group have committed to developing the site which they reportedly bought from the GAA for less than €1 million. The GAA paid €2.8 million for the site in 2006, but could not afford to develop on it.
“The plan is to put some of our best underage talent on a proper footing and this is the only way to do it,” Luke Comer told The Connacht Tribune’s Declan Tierney who first reported the story.
“It requires proper investment but I believe that we will see the rewards in five or six years and definitely before 10 years.”
We have been investing in Galway United for many years but they need a proper structure in which to be successful.
“Otherwise, they will just continue as they are and we are not happy to see that situation.”
Six soccer pitches will be built on the site, as well as a gym and the construction of 30 apartments for players.
The GAA had plans for six pitches with pitch shelters, a sports hall, an all-weather pitch, a gym, dressing rooms and car parks on the site.
The land had previously failed to sell at auction. At the time the AVM (Advised Minimum Value) was set at €750,000.
Auctioneer on the day Cathal Moran did indicate that there had been “considerable interest” in the land, but only attracted a solitary bid of €500,000.