Re: Re: well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?
Irish Independent, Saturday, 13 August, 2005
Three contenders line up to build indoor arena
SUPERMACS owner Pat McDonagh faces competition over his dream to build a major indoor arena outside the capital.
Two Munster-based businessmen – one in Cork and the other in the Limerick area – are understood to be putting together plans for the development of a major indoor arena for a variety of entertainment events.
Both are understood to have completed feasibility studies on the project but have chosen separate locations, in Limerick and Cork, for their proposed arena.
Galway-based Pat McDonagh proposed to locate a €100m development, including an 8,000-seat indoor arena, a hotel and restaurants in Athlone, Co Westmeath, but this ran into planning difficulties and he is now considering a number of other locations.
He confirmed last night that he has looked at Galway, Limerick and “another midlands location” as alternatives.
Limerick appears to be a likely location, given the proximity of Shannon Airport, with its huge volume of European low-fares traffic, and the city’s improving infrastructure.
Limerick Mayor Diarmuid Scully believes the city should do all in its power to ensure it does not miss the opportunity to secure the development.
“We must put our best foot forward, roll out the red carpet to these people to make sure that we do not lose out.
“All you have to do is look at what the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham did for what was up to then a pretty much run-down city centre.
“It revitalised the whole city centre, turning it into one of the most vibrant in Europe,” Mr Scully said.
The mayor predicted that a site on the outskirts of Limerick would be the likely location, although he did not rule out the possibility of it being located on the docklands.
“One way or the other, it will probably take both the city council and county council working together on this, but that would not be a problem,” Mr Scully said.
Eugene Hogan
