Reports say GAA HQ will acquire the land tomorrow
The Irish Times say that Croke Park is in discussions with Dublin City Council about acquiring land near the stadium which they would then develop to add to the facilities at their disposal.
Croke Park Villas, a block of flats from the 1960s on the Cusack Stand/Canal End corner of the ground, was to have been regenerated by now but the plan collapsed in 2008. However, with only nine of the flats now occupied the GAA want to buy the land, build 44 new apartments and use the rest of the land for new facilities for the stadium.
These would include a “processional boulevard” entrance as well as offices, restaurants, shops and a handball facility.
The report says that the GAA made a formal bid in May and they quote DCC’s housing department executive manager Gerry Geraghty who says that there was ‘a lot of money on the table here’.
If it goes ahead it is suggested that the new entrance would become the sole point of entry to the ground, reducing the impact on other streets in the area.
