Friday 27 February 2009

Final whistle sounds

WE all knew that no injury time goal or penalty shoot-out was going to save the Maze Stadium project.

The ending of direct rule saw to that. Culture minister, Gregory Campbell, blew the final whistle at an Assembly committee meeting.

Staying with the week’s theme of cash, Campbell told the Culture Arts and Leisure Committee that there would be a net loss to the economy totalling between £156m and £193m which could not be made up in “non-monetary benefits”.

But kind hearted minister that he is, Campbell insisted that he would help soccer/football, rugby and GAA out with their stadium needs. A new stadium, would have been nice, but alas…
This came at the same time that concerns were raised about crumbling walls at Crusaders Seaview FC and other Irish League grounds, worries about safety at GAA’s Casement and RFU’s Ravenhill. What stadiums was Campbell talking about then?

On the bright side ice hockey’s the Belfast Giants are doing reasonably well this season. Their stadium? The Odyssey Arena.

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