Munster Rugby to begin €20m Musgrave Park development

MUNSTER Rugby is about to embark on a €20million development of Musgrave Park, the first phase of which will see an increase in ground capacity from 7,000 to 12.500 by the third quarter of 2011.

Ultimately, the hope is to increase the capacity of the ground to between 18,000 and 22,000 in a development that could facilitate other sports or special events in years to come, probably by 2014 at the latest.

Former Munster Branch President Niall O’Driscoll confirmed yesterday that phase one of the project – the demolition of the current tiny west stand to be replaced by a state-of-the-art 6,500 capacity structure – would begin in January of next year and should be completed in time for the start of the new season in September.