Thomond open for (corporate) business

TALK of a looming recession hasn’t deterred big spenders from scrambling to buy corporate space at the revamped €40 million Thomond Park, which opens next month.

The 20 corporate boxes, which each holds 15 people, are nearly all booked for a five-year period — harvesting a huge €12.1 million rental.

Six on the 22-metre line each cost €150,000 per year; eight others have a rent tag of €120,000 each a year and six are priced at €100,000 each per year.

Only six of the 20 remain and Thomond Park director John Cantwell expects they will be taken before the end of the month.

“Anybody thinking about taking one would want to act in the near future. They are very competitively priced,” he said.

As a welcome gesture, he said all the corporate box holders will be given free use of their boxes for the Munster/All Blacks clash on November 18 and will be able to buy tickets for guests. The first fixture at Thomond Park will be on the first weekend of October when Munster take on Glasgow in the Magners League.

Mr Cantwell said: “Compared to other stadiums ours is a brilliant package with the strong Munster brand. Corporate box holders will have their boxes for three Heineken Cup games and four Magners League games each season.”

Limerick mayor John Gilligan and members of the media were invited to the stadium yesterday for the announcement of a charity ball which will be held at Thomond Park on October 18.

The Saffron Ball will be held in the biggest of the three conference areas which can hold 500 people. Proceeds will go to the Cari Foundation.

Pat O’Sullivan, of Masterchefs, who won the catering franchise at the 26,500-seater stadium, is one of the organisers of the Saffron Ball.

He said: “The Saffron Ball will bring a culinary extravaganza here and it will have a great wow factor. It is being supported by hotels and restaurants throughout the region.”

Meanwhile, Mr Cantwell said they are delighted at how the new playing surface has taken.

It has a synthetic component knitted with sand and grass and very durable.

The proudest man in Thomond Park yesterday was Tony Kennedy, who works for project managers, Steve Cunningham & Association. He has overseen huge developments all over the world.

Mr Kennedy, from Garryowen said: “Of all the projects I have done all over the world, this is the most satisfying I have ever worked on as a Limerickman.”