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13/12/2007
Maze Stadium Plans Delayed In Walkout
A walkout by unionist members of an Assembly committee has stalled today's planned presentation of the blueprint for a 35,000-seater sports stadium at the site of the former Maze prison.
Designers from HOK Sport, the GB-based company which also designed Wembley, were to have shown their plans to members of the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, but were instead left cooling their heels as committee members argued.
They were to take questions from the NI Assembly Sports Minister, Edwin Poots and other committee members, only to be refused the meeting as DUP and UUP members argued that they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.
The GAA, IFA and Ulster Rugby have all confirmed they would play at the stadium and have signed a document estimating minimum numbers of supporters they would hope to attract annually.
The stadium business case should have been ready for the autumn but the deadline passed, now the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.
Senior civil servants have recommended the Maze plan goes ahead, but, unless the plan gets the backing of the DUP's Assembly party, Mr Robinson will find it virtually impossible to proceed.
Plans - supported by Sinn Fein - to retain an original H-Block cell wing and the former internment camp's prison hospital as a 'Conflict Transformation Centre' have led to a lukewarm response from the DUP on the overall project.
See: Maze decision time for Sports Minister
(BMcC)
Designers from HOK Sport, the GB-based company which also designed Wembley, were to have shown their plans to members of the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, but were instead left cooling their heels as committee members argued.
They were to take questions from the NI Assembly Sports Minister, Edwin Poots and other committee members, only to be refused the meeting as DUP and UUP members argued that they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.
The GAA, IFA and Ulster Rugby have all confirmed they would play at the stadium and have signed a document estimating minimum numbers of supporters they would hope to attract annually.
The stadium business case should have been ready for the autumn but the deadline passed, now the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.
Senior civil servants have recommended the Maze plan goes ahead, but, unless the plan gets the backing of the DUP's Assembly party, Mr Robinson will find it virtually impossible to proceed.
Plans - supported by Sinn Fein - to retain an original H-Block cell wing and the former internment camp's prison hospital as a 'Conflict Transformation Centre' have led to a lukewarm response from the DUP on the overall project.
See: Maze decision time for Sports Minister
(BMcC)
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10 March 2008
Still No Decision On Maze Stadium
There are no immediate plans for Northern Ireland's leading unionist party to veto proposals to build a contentious sports stadium at the Maze.
Still No Decision On Maze Stadium
There are no immediate plans for Northern Ireland's leading unionist party to veto proposals to build a contentious sports stadium at the Maze.
24 July 2007
Maze decision time for Sports Minister
Northern Ireland Assembly members will cut short their summer break to hold a ‘special’ debate on the issue of the proposed sports stadium at the Maze. Sports Minister Edwin Poots has shown his support to the proposed 35,000-seater stadium that will host soccer, Gaelic games and rugby and has also backed the location of the stadium.
Maze decision time for Sports Minister
Northern Ireland Assembly members will cut short their summer break to hold a ‘special’ debate on the issue of the proposed sports stadium at the Maze. Sports Minister Edwin Poots has shown his support to the proposed 35,000-seater stadium that will host soccer, Gaelic games and rugby and has also backed the location of the stadium.
05 June 2006
Belfast launches drive for sports stadium
Belfast City Council are today to launch a new drive to have Northern Ireland's national sports stadium built in Belfast. This comes a week after the government's proposal for the development of the 42,000-seater stadium on the former Maze Prison site near Lisburn were officially launched.
Belfast launches drive for sports stadium
Belfast City Council are today to launch a new drive to have Northern Ireland's national sports stadium built in Belfast. This comes a week after the government's proposal for the development of the 42,000-seater stadium on the former Maze Prison site near Lisburn were officially launched.
08 April 2009
Maze Stadium Plan Officially 'Dead'
The Maze Stadium plan is officially cancelled. The Stormont Executive's First Minister and Deputy First Minister today announced that the mooted MLK Masterplan won't now proceed in its original proposed form.
Maze Stadium Plan Officially 'Dead'
The Maze Stadium plan is officially cancelled. The Stormont Executive's First Minister and Deputy First Minister today announced that the mooted MLK Masterplan won't now proceed in its original proposed form.
11 February 2009
Failed Maze Stadium Plan Cost NI £4m
A Stormont Executive Minister has admitted that scrapped plans to build a multi-sports stadium at the Maze prison site has already cost taxpayers £millions. NI Sports Minister Gregory Campbell said that a total of £3,598,708 was poured in to the scheme during the initial stages of the proposed flagship sports scheme.
Failed Maze Stadium Plan Cost NI £4m
A Stormont Executive Minister has admitted that scrapped plans to build a multi-sports stadium at the Maze prison site has already cost taxpayers £millions. NI Sports Minister Gregory Campbell said that a total of £3,598,708 was poured in to the scheme during the initial stages of the proposed flagship sports scheme.
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