We need to get making a proposal to submit to Galway County Council! Just the small issue of getting the funding now..
The video isn't showing so could you post a link?

I love it. Let's order it!

10K capacity. Adjacent training ground, training facilities, offices, etc.

This next door to above stadium would be ok....



Could leverage state of the art eco technology. Join up with local business, etc.

Would be wonderful for the city.

While still on the daydreaming and stadium porn, imagine how great it would be to have a green version of this stadium down at the docks...

Stade de la Maladiere

The capacity of this particular stadium is 12,000, so maybe a slightly smaller scale version would be more suitable. However, imagine how brilliant it would be to have a stadium like this down at the docks. It could be used by Connacht of course, along with Galway United. Friendly internationals in both rugby and soccer could be staged here, along with underage games. Other sporting events could also be held.

It could also be used for many other types of events, such as concerts. Having a stadium like this as a venue for concerts would remove the need for the big top at the arts festival, and would allow the arts festival to attract bigger name artists due to a much larger capacity.

Also, the large extra bit at the end of the stadium in the pictures is a shopping centre.. If this could be built at the docks, I really doubt it would be difficult to attract private investment to fund and run this shopping centre element of the stadium, As it is there are a number of retail and food outlets which are unable to find locations in Galway that would suit there needs, and a shopping centre add-on to a stadium at the docks would certainly help to fill this gap. The location so close to the city centre would prove very attractive for large multinational chains.

Through a combination of private funding for aspects such as the shopping centre element, and funding through sources such as the IRFU, FAI, European Union funding, government funding etc. it could very well be possible to achieve a development like this. However, for the mean time it would seem that such a development is only a pipe dream.

It is just a thought, but can the Clan organisers (in their capacity) formally request some feedback from Ruane on the strategy for the ground or the potential for a new ground to be shared with fans? Or a timeline for some comms?

It would be nice to hear something on it and may be no harm in applying a small bit of heat on the CEO. Not in a nasty way, but more in a 'we care about this way'.

It has to be a logical question I am sure he is all over.

Not my cup of tea.... I like a nice symmetrical stadium

Love it. If I win the euro millions ill build a 16k seater to accommodate Connacht and the soccer crowd. It's a long way off us having a stadium of our own. We are only learning to fly under Pat but we will be soaring soon.

bit of stadium porn to pass the evening

Robbo wrote:

gaillimhabu wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: Fairly sure the only thing keeping the dogs going at the moment are the Connacht fans buying pints in the Main Stand

Just out of curiosity, what is the capacity of the "Clan Terrace" and then of the "Main Stand"?

The solution is for connacht fans in the main stand to stop buying pints. If they really need a drink come across to the clan bar
Then the dags will have to go elsewhere with decreasing funds

A Great Escape style tunnel under the pitch would allow for a pipeline to be constructed. With the beer ordering app thing that was implemented, all the barman in the Clan Bar has to do is tip your pint (bought and paid for online) down the pipeline and you hold your glass the other end.

Would probably be faster than the service currently available in the Enclosed Stand anyway. :blink:

gaillimhabu wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: Fairly sure the only thing keeping the dogs going at the moment are the Connacht fans buying pints in the Main Stand

Just out of curiosity, what is the capacity of the "Clan Terrace" and then of the "Main Stand"?

The solution is for connacht fans in the main stand to stop buying pints. If they really need a drink come across to the clan bar
Then the dags will have to go elsewhere with decreasing funds

A Great Escape style tunnel under the pitch would allow for a pipeline to be constructed. With the beer ordering app thing that was implemented, all the barman in the Clan Bar has to do is tip your pint (bought and paid for online) down the pipeline and you hold your glass the other end.

eezipc wrote:

Darragh wrote: Be fun to build a new venue on the Aran Islands!!!

Make it horrible for visiting teams....!!!

Now there's an idea. Right on the edge of Dún Aonghasa. Scare the bejaysus out of everyone.

S4P would love that.

Darragh wrote: Be fun to build a new venue on the Aran Islands!!!

Make it horrible for visiting teams....!!!

Now there's an idea. Right on the edge of Dún Aonghasa. Scare the bejaysus out of everyone.

Be fun to build a new venue on the Aran Islands!!!

Make it horrible for visiting teams....!!!

wp_rathead wrote: Fairly sure the only thing keeping the dogs going at the moment are the Connacht fans buying pints in the Main Stand

Just out of curiosity, what is the capacity of the "Clan Terrace" and then of the "Main Stand"?

The solution is for connacht fans in the main stand to stop buying pints. If they really need a drink come across to the clan bar
Then the dags will have to go elsewhere with decreasing funds

sea_point wrote: Yes, but they didn't own the 16 homes at Knockalisheen Road, Ballynanty that they paid €400,000 each for ( twice the market value ). Thomond was built with IRFU money and the houses were bought with €6,4 of the €40m they received, and the loan repayments were to come from packed out houses week in week out. The IRFU has written off vast sums of money in terms of the loan already and there is still €9m outstanding.

And if Johnny jumped into the lake would you have to jump in too?

sea_point wrote: What ever Connacht's P/L account is at the moment, it's based on losing half the match day spend to the Dog;'s from sales on the Main Stand side. What a new stadium (or even just more Connacht owned facilities at the SG) would mean for Connacht is the ability to own all the income, from Tickets to Merchandise, to Corporate (leasing out suites at the stadium outside matchday too) to Food & Beverages, if they chose to...

Own all the income once someone somewhere has paid the debt associated with buying a city centre site and building our modest stadium. (Which now has modest corporate suites I see) (Can we have a modest roof as well? )

I'm not trying to rain on everyone's parade. The future's bright, and there's room for people with vision to lead Connacht onward and upward.

But pie in the sky, "build it an they will come" strategies have driven many larger professional sports teams than Connacht into the ground; in Ireland and further afield.

[edit] I'd forgotten that about Munster buying those houses in Moyross for 400k a pop. Mother of God.

Evil_g wrote: Munster already owned the land upon which the new Thomond was built.

Even if we are to build a "modest" 8000 seater stadium, we'd have to acquire the land to build it. Everyone here (including myself) is agreed that Connacht must play within walking distance of the city centre.

The docks is mentioned regularly. I'm gonna assume that that land is, or was until recently, in NAMA. It's prime real estate and, if it's zoned for residential or commercial purposes, it's worth tens of millions.

Unless someone is going to gift that to us (and the IRFU will not) you're talking Munster levels of hubris. (Let's call it Mubris).

The Sportsground isn't perfect, but it's not without it's charm. Tart it up a bit and it'll meet our short to medium term requirements. It has to.

Yes, but they didn't own the 16 homes at Knockalisheen Road, Ballynanty that they paid €400,000 each for ( twice the market value ). Thomond was built with IRFU money and the houses were bought with €6,4 of the €40m they received, and the loan repayments were to come from packed out houses week in week out. The IRFU has written off vast sums of money in terms of the loan already and there is still €9m outstanding.

As per the article with Philip Brown, Leinster are the only net income province, so outside of the stadium debt Munster aren't paying their way any ore than Connacht are..And I'd imagine the costs of running a bigger organisation and stadium are significantly higher than ours.

What ever Connacht's P/L account is at the moment, it's based on losing half the match day spend to the Dog;'s from sales on the Main Stand side. What a new stadium (or even just more Connacht owned facilities at the SG) would mean for Connacht is the ability to own all the income, from Tickets to Merchandise, to Corporate (leasing out suites at the stadium outside matchday too) to Food & Beverages, if they chose to...

Munster already owned the land upon which the new Thomand was built.

Even if we are to build a "modest" 8000 seater stadium, we'd have to acquire the land to build it. Everyone here (including myself) is agreed that Connacht must play within walking distance of the city centre.

The docks is mentioned regularly. I'm gonna assume that that land is, or was until recently, in NAMA. It's prime real estate and, if it's zoned for residential or commercial purposes, it's worth tens of millions.

Unless someone is going to gift that to us (and the IRFU will not) you're talking Munster levels of hubris. (Let's call it Mubris).

The Sportsground isn't perfect, but it's not without it's charm. Tart it up a bit and it'll meet our short to medium term requirements. It has to.