Over the past two weeks the Minister has initiated meetings with Durnien.com, officials from Belfast City Council and representatives from the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs and listened to their views.
Reviewing his meetings the Minister said: “Since I was appointed, I have said that I am willing to consider alternatives to the Maze/Long Kesh site, provided they meet certain criteria. However, time is very short and if the stadium is to be a reality in time for the 2012 Olympics, then we need to move forward.
“Any alternative location needs to be delivered in time, to be supported by the Governing Bodies of the three sports, Soccer, Rugby and Gaelic, be economically viable and most importantly, be consistent with the wider Government objectives of a Shared Future.
“What I am being asked to do is to stop or overturn a decision which was made two years ago to locate the Multi-Sports Stadium at the Maze/Long Kesh. However, I cannot stop a process unless I am given viable alternatives.
“To date none of the alternatives discussed with me have demonstrated that they can satisfy the criteria.”
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Background on Proposed Multi-Sports Stadium at Maze/Long Kesh
As part of the Government’s Shared Future initiative and in order to assist major sports in Northern Ireland, Soccer, Rugby and Gaelic, plan their future facility requirements, the Strategic Investment Board (SIB), on behalf of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), completed an initial business plan in May 2004 on the viability of a Multi-Sports Stadium for Northern Ireland.
This report concluded that a Shared Future Multi-Sports Stadium could be operationally viable provided the capital costs of construction are met and all three sports are engaged.
An initial site selection exercise in September 2004 considered a range of 12 possible sites for a stadium, including six in Belfast.
Subsequently, an economic appraisal, business case and business planning exercise were commissioned on the three short-listed sites, namely the Maze/Long Kesh near Lisburn, the North Foreshore in Belfast and the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.
Two of the three short-listed sites (the North Foreshore and Titanic Quarter) were later ruled out on cost and acceptability grounds and consideration is now focusing entirely on the Maze/Long Kesh. This was announced in a press release in March 2005.
Since then the three sports governing bodies have agreed in principle to the proposal to develop a Multi-Sports Stadium at the Maze/ Long Kesh.
Details of the proposals for the stadium were announced by David Hanson MP, former Minister at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, on 30 May 2006 at the launch of the Maze/Long Kesh Masterplan and Implementation Strategy.
Since then work has begun to develop a suitable design and business plan for the Multi-Sports Stadium and the three sports governing bodies are co-operating fully in these exercises.
Media enquiries to DCAL Press Office on 028 9025 8901 or email: press.office@dcalni.gov.uk
