Casement Park: Redevelopment cost now estimated at £270m

The new cost for the development of Casement Park has dropped to £270m, BBC News NI understands.

It follows the decision by the GAA to slightly modify the stadium design after plans to host some games of the Euro 2028 football tournament in the stadium were dropped.

Initial estimates suggested it would have cost more than £300m to complete the west Belfast ground to Uefa specifications.

Last month GAA president Jarlath Burns said the new design was “basic and modest” but would still cater for more than 30,000 fans.

At the time he said it was a “significantly smaller cost” as they had removed much of the “fit out”.

“We have managed to retain the number of people who will fit into it, while having it to a lower specification,” he said.

It is believed changes include replacing seating in some areas of the ground with terracing, reducing press facilities and altering the hospitality layout as well as the plans for WiFi infrastructure.

The GAA president refused to disclose the new cost of the stadium, which the BBC now understands to be £270m.

It is believed the lowered cost has come after the GAA tweaked aspects of the stadium’s design, including

Mr Burns was speaking after a meeting with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, which he described as positive at the time.

It has now emerged Mr Burns accused Lyons of “dragging his heels” on the project during the meeting.

He also challenged Lyons over his failure to attend any GAA matches.

One source said the talks at times were “fraught and tetchy”.

Lyons has attended a GAA event but not a match.

The minister has also insisted the Northern Ireland Executive will fulfil a previous financial pledge to support the Casement Park development.

It promised £62m while the Irish government has pledged more than £40m with the GAA offering a further £15m.

That leaves a shortfall of around £150m if the stadium is to be completed to the current price tag.

The GAA is now seeking a meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Benn to discuss the revised cost with a view to securing funding from the government.

Speaking at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Secretary of State Hilary Benn pointed the finger at the previous government for the fact that Casement Park would not be built in time for Euro 2028.

“It’s a great sadness for everybody, what a great opportunity this was for football in Northern Ireland,” he told the committee.

“When the Euros were awarded to the United Kingdom and Ireland everyone thought ‘right, that’s Casement Park done and dusted’ because the last government said ‘yes it will be built, we’ll find the money’.

“We got elected in July and of course nothing had been done, nothing for 18 months apart from warm words.”

He said the Labour government consulted on whether it would be possible to get Casement built in time for the Euros and was told if more than £400m was spent on the project it might be ready, but there would be no guarantee.

“So I’m afraid the only decision we could reach was this can’t go ahead and that then left ‘well what are we going to do now?'” he said.

“What the prime minster has said is we need to see an alternative proposition. At the moment we don’t know the answer to that question.”

Mr Benn said he is not in a position to say whether the UK would make a contribution.

“In the end you’re going to have to have a proposition with a sum of money that is capable of building it bearing in mind the continuing effects of building price inflation,” he said.

“I think in the interests of respecting all of the sporting traditions in Northern Ireland it’s important that Casement Park is built.”