McHale Park, the home of Castlebar Mitchels may be taken over by the Mayo GAA Board. The controversial move is likely to cause division within the club when the matter is discussed at the club's a.g.m next Sunday.
The matter was raised at the club's a.g.m which was held at the weekend but the meeting was adjourned to seek clarification from the Mayo board. Ironically, it is the very building in which the club holds its meeting that is the root of the problem facing Castlebar Mitchels, who find themselves servicing a debt of around €800,000.
The club also spent a large amount on the development of McHale Park but the ground is still in need of further investment to bring it up to the standard set by Croke Park. Unless that standard is reached they are in danger of losing their status as a top provincial pitch.
A spokesman for the Mayo County Board said this was not a question of the board bailing out Castlebar Mitchels but a matter of following guidelines from Croke Park who have indicated county grounds will not be given any grant aid unless they are invested in the county board.
McHale Park is one of the last grounds in the country that is not under the umbrella of the county board. McHale Park has been in the possession of Castlebar Mitchels since it was developed back in the 1940s and over the last few years there has been a massive investment in the grounds by the club who have turned it into a 35,000 all-seater arena.
Unless there is another investment of cash their leading-ground status could very well go to the fast-developing Pearse Stadium in Galway or Hyde Park in Roscommon.
Mayo County Board have come up with an offer to take over McHale Park on a long-term lease basis and pay Castlebar Mitchels in the region of €1 million to clear all their debts.
"It would not be a case of Castlebar Mitchels being excluded from the running of McHale Park as without a committee there it would not be possible to run the ground," said a county board source.
The county board would also allow the Mitchels to operate a shop and match programmes which would see funds raised from these go back into the club.
The Mayo board proposal is a lease of around 35 years with a cash payment to the club of €1 million and the club allowed to keep one of the alternate pitches as their home ground, i.e. the Josie Munnelly Park or the Mayo training ground.
Castlebar Mitchels have declined to comment on the matter but it will be on the agenda for the club's a.g.m. on Sunday.
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