Just wondering what people would think of putting another stand over Hill 16..... I would never get rid of the Hill because it adds atmosphere, historical significance etc. etc, but I think that with all the mod-cons in the world today somebody could make a plan for a new stand to be erected above the Hill.... Sometimes when I look at Croker in all its splendour,,, i just wish the top tier went around the whole way.... I think that if they did build it the whole way around the stadium would be a real eye catcher and would also add about 10,000 seats for fans who find it extremely difficult to get tickets on ALL Ireland final day.... It wouldn't take too long to build a top tier either...probably a year or so.... might just be wishful thinking but does anybody else feel that Croke Park should be ROUNDED off nicely....sorry bout the woeful pun folks

yearofthelily (Kildare) - Posts: 279 - 08/05/2009 12:31:53    278044

Its near enough an impossible feat with the DART track and terraced houses behind the hills meaning it would cost millions to put a covered stand in here.

Niamh (Derry) - Posts: 2397 - 08/05/2009 12:47:14    278059

Absolutely no argument good bad or indifferent.........it in fact Croke Park should be an all seater stadium end of story.

squidword (Louth) - Posts: 2897 - 08/05/2009 12:48:25    278060

how many would it hold if hill was developed like rest of stadium?

stranmillis29 (Antrim) - Posts: 788 - 08/05/2009 12:50:35    278063

squidword
County: Louth
Posts: 226

No need for the attidude Dubs cant afford the price of the seats,go easy squid save the Hill

tomaoo7 (Dublin) - Posts: 5896 - 08/05/2009 12:52:41    278067

Look, everyone is always on about the signifigance of hill 16....whats the point?? its already a completely new structure so why not just finish the job properly, it looks awful as it is.....

And someone was on about the dart station....the canal end is a perfect example of adapting the structure to its environment.....

sheepshooter (Meath) - Posts: 626 - 08/05/2009 12:53:50    278069

its not impossible, not even nearly impossible they just say that. plenty of stadiums have train tracks built into or under them and they had a lot have had the same sort of starting problem

brett favre (Sligo) - Posts: 659 - 08/05/2009 12:58:19    278074

I know its not impossible but there are house and roads behind the Hill the cost of buing those house of those people and proceeding to build a covered stand would be monumental, I too would like to see it totally seated however realistically it isn't possible for the time being anyway.

Niamh (Derry) - Posts: 2397 - 08/05/2009 13:09:16    278086

Pretty sure the original plan was to enclose the whole stadium but a couple of factors made them redraw their plans. The key problem being the housing behind the hill. Between planning and lack of space it was a no go.

derfil1 (Kildare) - Posts: 1612 - 08/05/2009 13:14:30    278099

tomaoo7
County: Dublin
Posts: 2679


No need for the attidude Dubs cant afford the price of the seats,go easy squid save the Hill
08/05/2009

Easy rectified tomaoo7 leave the hill prices alone but reduce all the other prices to a par with those of the hill.

"Squid for next President of the GAA!"

squidword (Louth) - Posts: 2897 - 08/05/2009 13:17:29    278101

Plans are in place if there is ever a real will to build over the hill. The dart has absolutely nothing to do with the hold up.

The last time the Hill was renovated and then the major plans were put forward, planning permission was only given so long as the Hill could not be touched for fifteen years. That time is nearly up and it will be interesting to see what happens then.

The stadium was built in such a way as to allow for it to become one full structure. The general feeling is to leave the Hill standing and that is not a problem. The only problem will be the residents and that can be overcome in the usual way.

I have no doubt this will happen soon. Maybe it will be Christy Cooneys legacey, if not it will definately be the next presidents job to finnish.

26plus6equals1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 430 - 08/05/2009 13:22:49    278107

yep i totally agree that croke park should be fully completed and fully seated.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 08/05/2009 13:35:58    278125

Yeah personally while Croker looks great the U-Shape is it's one major draw back. Most camera angles always try to take a view looking towards the canal. The old Nally and Hill end doesn't look great at all for all the millions spent.

However, it could be improved by keeping the Hill as it is and extending the Nally (as a three stand) over as close as far as the first post of the goal post. That way the stadium would look better and we could maintain Hill 16 as it is.

the arguement at the time (by the stadium director) was that the railwai behind it would not allow such an expansion. But there is a railway at the Canal End too so I don't believe that it is an engineering impossibility. I think cost may have been the factor but it still should be possible. It would be a necessary development in my view.

Real Louth fan (Louth) - Posts: 3157 - 08/05/2009 13:54:01    278143

This also brings another question. If one county was to be given the majority of the tickets for one area of any stadium (In Croker obviously Dublin has historically held the Hill as it's own) and those tickets are priced differently to other areas of a stadium this could cause an issue with discriminatory pricing. It doesn't really bother me as I find sitting around the middle of the field to have a better view anyway but it is a point.

Darragh (Westmeath) - Posts: 325 - 08/05/2009 13:55:58    278146

It is going to stay as is for the foreseeable future. There are issues like the trailtrack and houses which would take a while to resolve but they are definitely not insermountable, i think it's more the money factor and whether a 90,000 stadium (i think this is the capacity it would hold as an all seater) is needed when it is only going to be filled a few times a year. It would look the part though...

hughoreilly (Cavan) - Posts: 95 - 08/05/2009 14:10:50    278161

Darragh
County: Westmeath

It doesn't really bother me as I find sitting around the middle of the field to have a better view anyway.

Im sure it is a great view but it must be impeding for the players

Haha........................its friday, leave me alone

whiterbannnas (Mayo) - Posts: 2441 - 08/05/2009 14:30:33    278184

The Railway isnt an issue.....The Canal End has a railway but it is under the stand...... Nobody seems to realise that.....

It is certainly possible i was just wondering what the feeling towards doing it was....

I'm glad i'm not the only one that is annoyed by the U-shaped Croke Park.....

I feel the stadium is one of the best in the world but if it was finished off with a top tier seating it would be class.....

And whoever asked about how much more ya'd fit in,,,,,,roughly between 8,000 and 10,000 average......

It wud bring Croke Park up to 92,500..... What other amatuer sport in the world could fill that figure????

yearofthelily (Kildare) - Posts: 279 - 08/05/2009 14:45:54    278211

Oh and the housing issue???

The GAA has actually been snappin up the houses around Croke Park....they dont have too many more to buy before they have the lot of them owned....

Any house that goes on the market in the area the GAA buys....

Think they want to do something similar like Berlin did during the World Cup in 2006.....the Long Mile or summit like that....except it will be on Jones Road...also heard that they will knock the houses and erect another Hotel and Pub complex... they will make money that way....

So if they are to start building, why not do it right and build a top tier

yearofthelily (Kildare) - Posts: 279 - 08/05/2009 14:55:54    278215

The Hill is there as a reminder of the Brave men that fought and died fighting for their culture and their own unique identity to be preserved and respected on their own land.

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 08/05/2009 15:16:56    278233

This issue comes up from time to time and there is a lot of misinformation and people stating things as fact when they don't know what they're talking about.Firstly if the Hill end was expanded to match the rest of the stadium the overall capicity would not increase.The current standing capacity of the hill is 13200 which is almost identical to the entire canal end,so lets get that untruth out of the way first.Secondly as some people have said the track behind the hill and more so the houses there make it extremely difficult from an engineering point of veiw and completely impossible from a cost point of veiw to do.I love it when people say "sure isn't there a canal running behind the davin,train track should be no problem" or "sure i was out in spain and i saw a track track under a stand,us irish can't do anything right",every situation is different.There are dozens of examples of train tracks,even motorways running under stadia around the world,doesn't mean it can be done in every case.The facts remain as above,the only likely change we'll see is the hill being roofed which can be done unlike alot of other stuff some people are suggesting.

kimbap (Mayo) - Posts: 81 - 08/05/2009 15:54:56    278277