Completed headquarters holds 82,300

Gaelic Games/ Croke Park redevelopment: GAA President Seán Kelly officially opened the new Hill 16 and Nally End terrace yesterday at Croke Park.

This is the last phase of the stadium redevelopment, which is now complete. The venue now has an official capacity of 82,300.

There was further good news at yesterday's ceremonies, attended by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The northern end development came in well under budget at €21 million, rather than €27 million, and the GAA debt on the whole project now stands at €36 million, which is a massive reduction on the figure of €98 million was reported going into last year's annual congress.

This means the final cost of the project is €265 million. That has been made up of €90 million from lottery funds, €20 million from direct Exchequer funding, with the balance of €155 million coming from the GAA, including the current debt.

"Why a terrace?" said Kelly during his speech before lunch. "Well, it wouldn't have been practical to build another stand around the railway line, but that's not as much of a reason as the issue of affordability. We believe it's important that young people can come to matches here, and 40 per cent more spectators will fit on to a terrace."

He paid tribute to a number of people, including the chair of the project management committee, former president Peter Quinn, and Central Council, which had agreed to push ahead with the redevelopment of the northern terrace last year despite the need to drive borrowings up to nearly €100 million.

Both the president and Taoiseach singled out GAA director general Liam Mulvihill for special praise in respect of his work in overseeing the project through the terms of office of six presidents.

GAA stadium director Peter McKenna, the project director, was pleased with the conclusion.

"Coming in €6 million under budget is very satisfactory. It's not just the amount but also the savings on the interest payments, which are about six per cent."

Phase Four was constructed as a "design and build" project, which entailed Banagher Concrete to pre-fabricate sections of the terrace and lift them into place, rather than build on site. This enabled the work to proceed more quickly.

For Quinn it's the end of a 15-year involvement, which began as soon as he was elected president in 1990. Even after that term of office, his financial expertise and knowledge of the construction industry remained in demand and he has maintained that involvement to the end.

"We're now at the stage we thought we'd be at between 2012 and 2015," said Quinn, adding that he was relieved to see the project brought to completion.

Although the stadium is completed, work will continue to upgrade facilities. A players' lounge is to be built in the dressingroom area and, as has already been announced, bar facilities will be extended to the whole ground rather than remain exclusive to the executive levels. It was also announced that a permanent big screen is to be installed in the ground.

Another milestone will be reached next month when the GAA's annual congress takes place in Croke Park. "It's great for the stadium to host something as important and prestigious as congress," according to McKenna, "and great for the association to be able to showcase its own facility."

The hotel development, a joint 252-bedroom project between the GAA and Jurys Hotels, across the road from the stadium is proceeding according to plan and will be open in time for next autumn's All-Ireland finals.

CROKE PARK FACTS:

ATTENDANCES

1912: First All-Ireland finals in Croke Park. Hurling: Kilkenny v Cork, 15,000. Football: Louth v Antrim, 13,000.

1919: All-Ireland finals. Football: Kildare v Galway, 32,000. Hurling: Cork v Dublin 32,000.

1935: All-Ireland finals. Hurling: Kilkenny v Limerick, 46,591. Football: Cavan v Kildare, 50,380.

1938: All-Ireland football final (Cusack Stand opened in August): Galway v Kerry (draw), 68,950.

1944: All-Ireland football final: Kerry v Roscommon, 79,245.

1954: All-Ireland hurling final: Cork v Wexford, 84,856.

1961: All-Ireland football final: Down v Offaly, 90,556.

2005: Croke Park redevelopment completed. Capacity: 82,300.

CHRONOLOGY

(costings included where available)

1913: GAA purchase the old City and Suburban Racecourse for £3,500.

1917: Hill 16 terrace constructed.

1924: Free State Government contributes £10,000 to building of original Hogan Stand and the Long Stand to be ready for Tailteann Games.

1937: Cusack Stand (upper deck over terrace) completed at cost of £52,000.

1948: Canal End terrace completed at cost of £75,000.

1952: Nally Stand built at Northern End.

1958: New Hogan Stand completed at cost of £264,000.

1966: Bottom deck added to the Cusack Stand.

1988: Hill 16 rebuilt.

1995: Phase One redevelopment completed.

2001: Phase Two redevelopment completed.

2002: Phase Three completed.

2005: Phase Four redevelopment completed. Total cost, phases one to four, 265 million.

Hill 16 Project management team: chairman, former president Peter Quinn; GAA director general, Liam Mulvihill; Croke Park stadium director, Peter McKenna; architects, Gilroy & McMahon (Des McMahon); structural engineers, Horgan Lynch & Partners (Frank Murray); mechanical & electrical, Petits (Nick Penston); solicitors, Reddy Charlton & McKnight (Paul Keane), safety consultants MSA (Michael Slattery).