Setting sights high for sports stadium

THE Galway Airport site at Carnmore should be developed into a regional sports centre with a multi-purpose state-of-the-art outdoor stadium capable of accommodating 30,000 people its focal point, a West of Ireland TD has said this week.

Roscommon-Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, said that he had already carried out some preparatory work on the project and would be approaching the main sporting bodies in the region over the coming weeks and months.

He said that the 116-acre site provided a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to provide the entire western region with a facility that could accommodate major sporting and entertainment events.

“Its location is absolutely perfect right beside the motorway network on the east side of the city; the size of the site gives it the space to accommodate a major complex; and it’s owned by our two local authorities – the County Council and the City Council,” Deputy Fitzmaurice told the Connacht Tribune. `

He said that with the new Pairc Uí Chaoimh GAA stadium in Cork qualifying for around €30 million in State funding, there was no good reason why a multi-purpose stadium, conference and indoor centre at the airport site could not qualify for support of a similar magnitude.

“There are a number of vital links that can be made here. The site also has ample capacity to accommodate a major park-and-ride facility and a shuttle bus service to the city than can play a key role in easing traffic congestion.

“As well as that, such a major stadium and sports facility has to have sufficient hotel bed capacity adjacent to it and only Galway city can tick this box. I can also see a major role in this for our third level institutions – NUI Galway and GMIT,” said Deputy Fitzmaurice.

He said that the key element of the airport site was its location in terms of the entire region and not just in the context of Galway.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.