I was at a social at Croke Park over a year ago on the tour. When i asked the guide the same question he siad that the GAA basically had bought up all the houses and that it was possible to build over the tracks back when they did the stadium up but it was going to cost a lot. He said that the GAA didn't expect to make so much money from the stadium and that don't be surprised if they go and finish the job off in the future.

I personally would love to see it happen. Who cares if a few Dubs who go to 3 GAA games a year get upset it would be the finest stadium in Europe. Also the noise levels would increase hugely in the stadium as the sound would be trapped as well as probably an extra 10k capacity.

Bingy (USA) - Posts: 32 - 08/05/2009 16:16:42    278303

as my friend says - Croke Park is the best unfinished stadium in the world.

S15 (Mayo) - Posts: 26 - 08/05/2009 16:28:17    278319

kimbap
County: Mayo
Posts: 62

First of all, get your facts right....

I said leave the hill alone.... but place seats above the Hill 16 stand.....so you wouldn't be losing any figures from the current attendance.... you would be gaining a whole new top tier...roughly between 8,000- 10,000. That's taking into account the two corners and the whole way across the hill.

If I'm not mistaken, Bayern Munich's new stadium has terrace on the lower levels behind the goals and seating in the upper tier above the goal... why cant Croke Park do that....

The train track does not impede the building of a stand above the Hill, however, access to it would seriously have to be considered.... but surely somebody like Diarmuid Gavin (the guy who builds castles in back gardens) could have a look, eh?

yearofthelily (Kildare) - Posts: 279 - 08/05/2009 16:39:47    278330

The only reason it would be done in my opinion would be to increase Hospitality revenue. As Kimbap pointed out, an all seater stadium would reduce the current capacity attendance. Leaving aside my Dubs bias, I prefer to watch more games from the Hill purely for the vantage point. I would much rather stand on the terrace with a few mates rather than sitting up at the very top of the Davin Upper. The fact that Croke Park has a modern terrace makes it unique amongst modern stadia. A fully "completed" Croke Park doesn't make it more aesthetically pleasing, just turns it in to an indentical on all sides stadium like every other new stadium out there.

bubba83 (Dublin) - Posts: 333 - 08/05/2009 16:49:51    278338

The should try and expand it as far as possible... may be the only way some of ye will show up!

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 08/05/2009 16:56:08    278345

I would keep the hill the way it is great buzz about it .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 08/05/2009 16:59:57    278350

I have come up with quite a good idea. They should make a four tier Dineen Hill 16 (Lower, Premium, Corporate and Uper). They shoul make all of the lower tier standing which would increase the final capacity of the stadium. This would give about 10,000 standing space and the rest of the new additions would be just under 10,000. This would bring the capacity of Croke Park to 90,000 making it the joint second highest stadium capacity in Europe

John_3__7 (Meath) - Posts: 546 - 08/05/2009 17:05:40    278364

Wasn't having a go at you Yearofthelilly,just makin a point that this is one of the common assumptions people make about expanding croker.If as you said they could expand over hill 16 and keep the terrace below that would be amazing,i'd be much more in favour of doing that than a carbon copy of the canal end.Unfortuetly it's all pie in the sky stuf because it really can't happen from an engineering and cost point of veiw.By the way somebody mentioned the croke park tour,i was onit in january,just four people on the tour and the guide hadn't a clue.Just gave about ten facts about the ground,half of which were wrong the other half out of date so i wouldn't be listening to them too much.Before the tour they bring you into a room to watch a video aboy GAA in general,it was 15mins long and what it consisted of was hilights from the hurling and football finals of 12 years ago! didn't complain though at least Mayo were in it!

kimbap (Mayo) - Posts: 81 - 08/05/2009 17:14:11    278377

whats the point of adding another 20,000 to a stadium that cant even average 40,000 during the year,a waste of money by the GAA even if they could expand it

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 08/05/2009 17:47:29    278418

kinbap good point about every case being different. the Ajax Amsterdam ArenA has a road under it. i dont see any other stadiums with roads going under them espacially without a dip or tunnel. its just a normal road

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4140 - 08/05/2009 17:52:32    278425

I'm not a Dub but I still think the hill is a major part in Irelands quest for freedom and hearing you people talk about demolishing it is a disgrace to the Irish name.

MrWingForward (Wexford) - Posts: 66 - 08/05/2009 18:12:20    278438

The hill can't be expanded due to planning restrictions. The sun comes in over the Canal End. The train tracks are the limiting factor to how much light the houses behind recieve so the hill will NEVER be let over that because it will block all sunlight entering the houses behind the hill. Same reason why one end of the new lansdowne road is lower than the other, letting sunlight through to the houses behind. Unless the gaa buys all houses which will be affected by this (think how much considering a winter sun) the hill will never be built to the same spec as the other stands. /thread

laoistownie (Laois) - Posts: 409 - 08/05/2009 19:06:55    278488

For me the hill makes the stadium better,it sets it apart from the rest of the worlds top stadiums,it should be kept,Croke parks capacity is more than enough
Also lads I know from a reliable source that the GAA is buying the houses on clonliffe road so that would indicate they are looking at some sort of development..it would look very well but financially and from a historic and personal point of view it should remain the same

keep_the_faith (Meath) - Posts: 400 - 08/05/2009 19:50:35    278555

MrWingForward I'm not a Dub but I still think the hill is a major part in Irelands quest for freedom and hearing you people talk about demolishing it is a disgrace to the Irish name. You just had to go and do it MrWingForward I wondered how long it would take.............Nobody on here disputes the heritage associated with Hill 16.....however the thing that annoys me is when people like you come on telling us all how disgraceful we all are to be even discussing the possibility of re-developing the said Hill16.............Please explain to me exactly which aspect of any re- development would constitute myself or anyone else being a disgrace to the Irish name. I personally cannot see any great difference between whether you sit down or stand up on the rubble beneath you but if I had to choose I think sitting down would be my preferred option primarily because it would be much more difficult to urinate on the ground beneath me ie.the rubble. That would be my way of showing respect for the heritage of Hill 16. Maybe you have other ideas about this...........

squidword (Louth) - Posts: 2897 - 08/05/2009 19:56:29    278562

Croke park looks like its incomplete on the telly, join up the stands and make it all seater I say.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 08/05/2009 21:51:32    278652

When you are sitting high up in the Cusack or Hogan the Hill end just looks ugly and incomplete. It does have the appearance of a stadium that's waiting to be finished and I hope some day it is. Of course the residents must be taken into account and if Croke Park need to buy houses the people should be reimbursed and rehoused if they want to sell. It seems to me that it would cost a fortune though.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9817 - 08/05/2009 22:10:35    278676

Ok squidword I respest your opinion.

MrWingForward (Wexford) - Posts: 66 - 08/05/2009 22:22:34    278697

yearofthelily
County: Kildare
Posts: 64

278211 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????

when would it be full???

The GAA is obsessed with property/building

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 08/05/2009 23:27:54    278793

CheFinny
County: UK
Posts: 119

278233 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.

mighty

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 08/05/2009 23:29:00    278795

MrWingForward
County: Wexford
Posts: 17

278438 I'm not a Dub but I still think the hill is a major part in Irelands quest for freedom and hearing you people talk about demolishing it is a disgrace to the Irish name.

was developing the hoganstand a disgrace, was clearing up the rubble after 1916 a sacrelige??

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 08/05/2009 23:32:40    278801