What effect will the new Thomond Park have on Limerick city?

Amazotheamazing

Pretty straight forward question, apparently the capacity has been upgraded from 26,000 to 29,000 in the planning stages, so we now have a top level stadium open to all sports in Limerick city. The Munster branch have stated they will investigate renting it out for concerts.

What effect will the new capacity have on Mayorstone, Thomondgate, Ballynanty and Moyross. Will there be any difference at all or will it stimulate further investment in the area? Are there serious drawbacks?

Personally I can't wait to see it ready to go, not just for rugby in the city but for the entire city.

ninty9er

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Pretty straight forward question, apparently the capacity has been upgraded from 26,000 to 29,000 in the planning stages, so we now have a top level stadium open to all sports in Limerick city. The Munster branch have stated they will investigate renting it out for concerts.

What effect will the new capacity have on Mayorstone, Thomondgate, Ballynanty and Moyross. Will there be any difference at all or will it stimulate further investment in the area? Are there serious drawbacks?

Personally I can't wait to see it ready to go, not just for rugby in the city but for the entire city.

With that sort of capacity I hope to fu<k thay put in an underground car park.....Our gate gets blocked every 1 in 4 matches adn while it's not the end of the world that you can't use the car for 5 hours, it is bloody annoying!

highlydebased

The only effect I can see (if any) is increased traffic issues

Amazotheamazing

Jeez, I was hoping for a bit of positive "great to have big games, international games, concerts" feedback but yes traffic is an issue, but with the tunnel and Northern relief road this should be lessen. The new carparks in the Jetlands will surely lessen any issues.

ninty9er

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Jeez, I was hoping for a bit of positive "great to have big games, international games, concerts" feedback but yes traffic is an issue, but with the tunnel and Northern relief road this should be lessen. The new carparks in the Jetlands will surely lessen any issues.

They should, but people will only park there if they can't find a spare square inch within spitting distance.

The matches are great and all, but the residents don't get anything but grief unlike the GAA who give residents in and around grounds free tickets to anything going to compensate for the "prisoner in your own home" effect created on a big match day.


I'm all for it, and it's a necessary amenity, but just CLOSE THE DAMN ROADS AROUND IT when there's something on!!

Amazotheamazing

Well the residents do get a short walk to see one of the best teams in Europe but I digress.

Getting beyond the traffic, which is solveable, will the new stadium bring any re-generation to the area?

sioda

Get LIT to install a multistory car park problem solved

Bring on concerts they would be great.

Plus more seats for the fans all good

ninty9er

It's good for Thomond Park, but won't do anything much for regeneration of the area short of local people actually being bothered to do something. I can't see investors pumping money into an area just because there's a new rugby ground when the old one was one of the best known stadia in Western European rugby circles

phog

ninty9er wrote:

With that sort of capacity I hope to fu<k thay put in an underground car park.....Our gate gets blocked every 1 in 4 matches adn while it's not the end of the world that you can't use the car for 5 hours, it is bloody annoying!

Buy yourself a wheel clamp park your own CLAMPED car outside for a few games and advertise a €60 unlocking fee, I think the word will get round.

In answer to the OP - while it will great for the businesses in the city I'm not too sure it will be a great benefit to the local residents. How much do the businesses contribute to the GAA or IRFU in return for attracting the crowds?

ninty9er

phog wrote:

Buy yourself a wheel clamp park your own CLAMPED car outside for a few games and advertise a €60 unlocking fee, I think the word will get round.

It's an idea I suppose

ambasite

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Pretty straight forward question, apparently the capacity has been upgraded from 26,000 to 29,000 in the planning stages, so we now have a top level stadium open to all sports in Limerick city. The Munster branch have stated they will investigate renting it out for concerts.

What effect will the new capacity have on Mayorstone, Thomondgate, Ballynanty and Moyross. Will there be any difference at all or will it stimulate further investment in the area? Are there serious drawbacks?

Personally I can't wait to see it ready to go, not just for rugby in the city but for the entire city.

open to all sports? can't see the GAA using it, with gaelic grounds just over the road and doubt Limerick 37 will need the use of a 29,000 capacity stadium, unless they qualify for champions league, maybe The Cranberries re-union tour in 5 years time....

Amazotheamazing

ambasite wrote:

open to all sports? can't see the GAA using it, with gaelic grounds just over the road and doubt Limerick 37 will need the use of a 29,000 capacity stadium, unless they qualify for champions league, maybe The Cranberries re-union tour in 5 years time....

It would still be open for the GAA to apply to use it, if they wanted to to. Limerick FC played in Thomond Park before, a few times actually. People forget that Limerick FC's highest ever crowd was 18,000. Should Limerick 37 ever bring successful soccer back to the city then they may need to find a use for it again.

Still though, you try and start a positive thread about Limerick on this board and everyone lines up to give out about traffic etc. Think we should cheer up a bit around here.

limerick_man

What I dont understand is why there isnt a large scale car park being demanded by City Hall during the planning stages?! Stadiums in America are built with tons of ground parking around them - we dont have that kind of forward planning, but why wasnt a multistory car park demanded when they were applying for planning??

PS, I cant wait till it opens, hopefully it'll have afew major concerts every year like Kilarney!

BobTheBeat

Forward planning doesnt seem to be the LCC's best trait. Neither is the provision of practical amenities. The way they figure it, fans will walk from town, so there should be no need for carparks around the area.

I'd love to know if it was brought up at any of the planning meetings?

Councillor: "Ah lads, do ye not think we should build a car park near the stadium so that we can alleviate the pressure on the surrounding areas come event time?"
Board: "Next Question!"

Limerick Dude

I doubt they would want to build a giant multistory car park which will be an eye sore and it only being used a few times a year.

Henry Ford III

Park in town and walk? 15 minutes will not kill you.

watsgone

I can't wait for it myself.
A shuttle bus system from the town would be a help

limerick_man

But we all know none of those things will stop people parking there!!?!?!

Limerick Dude

Henry Ford III wrote:

Park in town and walk? 15 minutes will not kill you.

Exactly

or just park in Jetland!

Henry Ford III

Gaelic Grounds (great name that) has a much bigger capacity, and they all get parked.

ninty9er

Henry Ford III wrote:

Gaelic Grounds (great name that) has a much bigger capacity, and they all get parked.

Just outside a different cachement of houses!!!

It doesn't matter how attractive you make Jetland or town sound PEOPLE STILL want parking AT THE STADIUM

Mc Love

And what about the proposed name change, that too is disgraceful!