GAA ASKING CORK FOR ANSWERS
Cork’s chiefs want exact cost of Páirc
TWO members of the Páirc Uí Chaoimh board of directors have been asked to arrive at the final cost for the development of the stadium.
A board meeting yesterday, chaired by GAA president John Horan, asked two of its members — Michael O’Flynn and Tom Gray — to ‘examine figures’ and ‘clarify the costs’ into the development of the ground, which had an initial budget of €70 million.
That figure was revised to €86 million, a number that Cork chairperson Tracey Kennedy stood by at last Saturday’s county convention despite reports that the final cost could reach €110 million.
The GAA’s commercial director Peter McKenna admitted in an interview last week that the anticipated overspend on the stadium might take Cork ‘10 to 15 years’ to deal with its impact.
Croke Park have already assumed control of managing the troubled project on a dayto-day basis for the next three years
On top of the ongoing financial difficulties, yesterday’s meeting of directors confirmed that an additional cost is to be incurred in the coming months as remedial work is to be carried out on the playing surface to allow games to be hosted in 2019.
However, the work is expected to be completed ahead of the commencement of the Allianz Leagues and it is not anticipated that a full pitch replacement will be required ‘in the short term’.