Time running out for Ballybunion waterworld plans
January 1996
THE promoters of a £ 1.5m “waterworld- type’ health and leisure centre in Ballybunion have been warned to abandon the project or risk losing support funding for any tourism development in the town.
Shannon Development has already rejected the project — and now time is running out for Ballybunion to benefit from an £ 18.6m fund, twothirds of which is already committed.
Speaking to The Kerryman this week Shannon Development Chief Executive Paul Sheane said it had been made clear from a very early stage that a ‘ waterworld- type’ project in Ballybunion would, in its opinion, not be “commercially viable” and therefore would not receive support funding.
Mr Sheane said Shannon. Development pointed out loads, of reasons why the ‘ waterworld project would not work in Ballybunion.
“Ballybunion wanted us to put in a Gulf Stream Health and leisure project on a smaller scale than Tralee. However, viability and proximity to the Tralee Aquadome— which cost in excess of £4m and received £ 3.17m in support funding through Shannon Development — were problems,” said Mr Sheane.
“That is something they were told up- front on day one,” said Mr Sheane.
Mr Sheane emphasised that they had repeatedly asked the promoters of the Ballybunion project to discuss an alternative. “We brought in a consultant from the UK and he came up with a number of ideas. He recommended playing to the strengths of the area, including golf,” added Mr Sheane.
One of the ideas was for a caravan and camping facility of international standard. Another was the development of cliff- top walks.
“We were wiling to invest in those areas,” Mr Sheane told The Kerryman.
“The bottom line is that there’s a need for development in Ballybunion. But the longer this goes on, the less funds will be available because those funds are limited,” said, Mr Sheane.
He said that the total budget available for such projects was £ 18.6m — but £ llm of this is already gone. All of this money has to be drawn down by 1999.
Meanwhile, Listowel Town, Council this week pledged its full support to the Ballybunion Development Company in its bid to secure a water- base tourist facility for the resort without the backing of Shannon Development.