New cricket stadium to deliver tourism dividend of €93m over five years

Gordon Deegan

Plans lodged by Sport Ireland for a new National Cricket Centre, including a spectator bowl, will generate a €93 million tourism dividend here over a five-year period.

During the same 2026 to 2030 period, the cricket stadium, which will have a permanent capacity of 4,240 and will be able to accommodate up to 12,000 spectators for the planned oval- will generate an additional €29 million through ticket sales and operational expenditure during the same period.

That is according to planning documents lodged on behalf of Sport Ireland for the National Cricket Centre (NCC) to Fingal Co Council comprising a cricket bowl, capable of future expansion for larger attendances, a High Performance Centre (HPC) and supporting infrastructure for the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus at Abbotstown.

A planning report drawn up by Cunnane Stratton Reynolds for applicants Sport Ireland states that this planning application “will provide Cricket Ireland (CI) with a permanent, world class facility, within the home of Irish Sport”.

An evaluation of the stadium’s economic impact carried out by EY shows that €39.9 million would be spent as a result of the 2030 T20 World Cup Cricket tournament.

The EY findings show that based on an average year’s operation, the centre would support 460 jobs per annum in the period 2026 to 2030.

Overall, including the impact of the Cricket World Cup in 2030, the net impact of the centre, would result in 1,555 jobs.

The planning report states that a once-off capacity of 20,000 will be required for the T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2030 and as it is a once off event will likely be the subject of an events license closer to the time of that event.

A report lodged with the application states the Irish economy will benefit from co-hosting the Cricket World Cup in 2030 where the centre will host a maximum of eight matches, with the remaining matches to be played in Ireland to be held in Malahide or Stormont.

Planning documents lodged show that the proposed development is likely to generate approximately 200 construction jobs.

The planning report states that the proposed development “is the first capacity venue to be located on the campus, is unique in its ability to expand its capacity, as and when needed, through procurement of future sports event licences granted”

Outlining the need for the development, it states that “Cricket Ireland has no home of its own. It needs a home of its own. It cannot rely on using club facilities, much to the club's inconvenience and at great cost”.

It adds that the campus “provides a unique opportunity to provide that facility for cricket and the proposal meets many of Cricket Ireland’s requirements”.

The report adds that “there is a significant benefit to having an oval within the proposed bowl, high performance facilities including indoor training facilities, clustered together in accordance with the principles of sustainability and best planning practice, at the ‘Home of Irish Sport’”.

The planning report states that it currently costs Cricket Ireland €1.25 million to stage events at Malahide along with head office costs and the planning report states that the majority of that €1.25 million per annum is effectively a diversion of resources that would otherwise be allocated to the development of clubs and investment in projects to increase participation and better facilities.

A decision is due on the decision in June.