SportsGround Developments

swift4prez wrote: at the botharmore side of the clan, there is a wooden pen, maybe 10ft x 10ft with a wooden ramp up it, is this the children area or is it a wheeelchair area ?

there was a similar structure there last season, most of the people I saw in there were disabled with their carers (I presume)

Swifty thats a wheelchair area. it was there last season also but they are roofing it for this season. Spoke to the carpenter who was measuring up just before todays game. Its the decent thing to do in fairness. Imo could do with a bit more elevation or an angle change as kids normally sit on wall on that side of clan potentially blocking wheelchair view.

The hammering you heard was the putting in of more advertising boards on back of Clan stand(outside) so they are obv pushing advertising in ground this season which is fair enough.There is also large one similar to what you saw at Bohermore end again in TV view.
There are no new permanent toilets in place which is dissapointing. Also no sign of the clan bar being extended as reported here.

I was also told that a temp covered stand will be in situ at the bohermore end of Main terrace where wooden bar, Steel cylinder and Tractor parking currently occupy. That will need clearing and there is no evidence of that ongoing atm.

Was at the game today also. Pretty confused by the new 9 lamp posts in front of the clan for the dogs. Defo an injury concern.

GTTC wrote: Was at the game today also. Pretty confused by the new 9 lamp posts in front of the clan for the dogs. Defo an injury concern.

I think they were there last year, if so they fold flat.

Expect the Unexpected...




Connacht Rugby broke a great deal of records last year in terms of ticket sales, match day attendance and the highest ever league finish. We want to kick off this season with a huge bang and continue breaking records.

This Saturday we take on Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground and Eric and the team can’t wait to get out on the pitch. We want the highest ever attendance at a Connacht season opening game and it promises to be a unique experience.

There are a series of developments in place for the season ahead, and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the Sportsground. You’ll see a lot of improvements over the coming weeks whilst all the time retaining our unique club feel. So what can you, the Connacht Rugby supporter, expect this season?

You will also find a wide-ranging entertainment programme across the season which means a blend of colour, music and fun at all matches. In September, we are doubling the size of our ever popular Clan Bar and it will now include a lounge area. We will host home-grown musical acts in the lounge to entertain you while you enjoy a pint before, during and after the game. This kicks off with a traditional Irish band at the Clan Bar this Saturday from 4pm. Stout drinkers will now be able to avail of Murphy’s in the Clan Bar whilst Heineken continues to be poured throughout the stadium.

We will have a dedicated, interactive Kids’ Zone in place where children will be able to participate in kicking and passing competitions as well as scrummage practice. In addition to this we have set aside a Kids Only Viewing area in the Clan stand to ensure that all children under the age of 12 will be underneath cover and won’t miss any of the action with a clear view of the game.

2012/13 sees the launch of our impressive hospitality and Platinum Club facilities which will offer a truly premium experience to companies and individuals allowing them to entertain clients and groups in the home of the Sportsground. The luxury marquees will be on-site from mid-September onwards and packages for Leinster will go on sale this week.

Finally we have appointed a new improved food and beverage franchisee who will deliver a range of BBQ’s, soups, coffee and other options as the season progresses.

Throughout the year we hope to deliver you a more colourful, entertaining and family friendly environment whilst retaining all the passion on the field and in our terraces! Everyone here is itching for it and we look forward to seeing you all on Saturday.

To secure your place at all our home games make sure you get yourself a season ticket. With all that we have on offer this is exceptional value at €225 for an adult season ticket, €80 for a junior and €400 for a family season ticket (2 adults, 2 children).

CORPORATE HOSPITALITY at Connacht V Leinster on Friday September 28th 2012 (KO 8.00pm) is available with prices starting at €99.

they are saying all the right things. i cant bloody wait.
music in the clan bar, after the game? i find it loud enough there after the match and most people prefer to talk about what happened during the game.
ah sure girlfriend might be happy now for me to stick around for few pints later

Double in size? Still going to be small, but I like the idea.
I wonder where these corporate seats are going to be? Fancy boxes on top of the Clan Stand

I do like all the ideas they have there though. Might skip O'Connells tomorrow, and go straight up to the Clan Bar

That looks fantastic! Looking forward to seeing it in place!

That new stand looks brilliant.

Hope we can secure funding for it

I like the look of those two new stands. Excuse me for saying it, but they help make the Sportsground look like a stadium rather than a "Ground"

work is well underway on the new stand in the corner between the main stand and bohermore

Great to hear temp stand work underway. Main stand side looked a bit bare without the stand from last season. Hopefully it will look something like the architects image which is quite stylish.

The new proposed stand on clan side looks fab and a much better looking facility than the original proposed stand. The sceptic in me feels that the original proposal is far more likely tho given that this new stand will require the blocking off of the road down to the dog owners parking and kennels which i thought wasnt permitted. Its a long term vision of the future of the stadium i know so hopefully a deal can be done in time.
Imo anyway a stand of the size of the proposed Temp one as a permanent structure and one on the gate side of the Doggie stand(also permanent and designed to accomadate B+B concerns) would adequately accomadate our seating needs in the mid term while giving the branch a presence on the doggie side on matchday re bars/catering etc and would prob cost significantly less than the more than impressive alternative.

rossie wrote: The new proposed stand on clan side looks fab and a much better looking facility than the original proposed stand

The existing clan stand is much bigger than that originally proposed (2000 standing places vs 1300) and the proposed seating looks 2-3 times bigger than the originally planned 6-700.

rossie wrote: The sceptic in me feels that the original proposal is far more likely tho given that this new stand will require the blocking off of the road down to the dog owners parking and kennels which i thought wasnt permitted.

The original proposal is dead and buried as they built a completely different stand last year, but I wondered about blocking the road too, never mind the kennels, there's a whole safety issue and an entire carpark blocked off. Maybe these were just indicative mockups for the city council presentation, and the access would be completely different in reality?

Looked good though, didn't it?

it looks exactly how a fan would want it to look! and i suppose that would be a concern in that it looks almost too perfect.
I was looking at the Saracens development at Barnet Copthall Stadium and the connacht stand looks more impressive than what their building atm. They are investing 20 mill sterling in the development and will have a capacity of 10k when complete so that will give some indication of costs for the proposal.
On another but related note, havent they applied to put another tier on to the clubhouse for more admin space. That would mean that club house would have to be attached to the new stand. Having looked at the stand again it could possibly be done if the stairs was moved to where the prefab beside clubhouse is situated now and coming perpendicular to the stand. The road could remain in place in that situation with a limited vehicle height restriction which shouldnt interfere with doggie people or parking.Heres hoping that one of us wins euromillions soon!