€600m full cost of Croker exit

RUGBY and soccer’s move back the Lansdowne Road will cost the local economy millions of euro each due to the smaller capacity at the new Aviva Stadium, GAA president Christy Cooney believes.

Speaking at the GAA and Croke Park Stadium’s annual accounts, Cooney estimated that the hosting of games and concerts at their own flagship venue was worth half a billion euro to the city last year.

Stadium director Peter McKenna estimated the figure could be as high as €600m while both claimed that the net worth to the area per game at Croker stood between €30m and €35m.