Maze site 'only stadium option'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7296122.stm

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Sinn Fein will not support a new sports stadium for Northern Ireland unless it is on the site of the former Maze Prison, an MLA has said.

Some unionists oppose the Maze site over plans for a conflict transformation centre at the stadium.

DUP ministers moved earlier this week to quell newspaper reports that the DUP had decided to abandon the plans.

But Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein said his party would "not accept a stadium being built on any other site".

The Gaelic Athletic Association, Irish Football Association and Ulster Rugby have confirmed they would play games at the Maze venue.

The site is just outside Lisburn in County Antrim.

Mr Kelly, who was a former IRA prisoner in the Maze, said the conflict transformation centre was designed to help other people around the world learn from the peace process.

"Regenerating this site has the potential to create up to 10,000 new jobs - many of which would be at the higher value end of the scale - and to lever up to £1bn investment," he said.

Discussions about the Long Kesh or Maze site have gone on for nearly 10 years.

Mr Kelly believes that in order to take advantage of opportunities at the 2012 Olympics "to lever further investment and employment, the time to fully implement the Long Kesh masterplan is now."

Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the threat was a "typical" Sinn Fein way of doing business.

"This situation is largely of Sinn Fein's own making as they have exploited the project for their own political gain and now it appears to be in some jeopardy," he said.

The business case for the £240m multi-sports stadium is currently with Finance Minister Peter Robinson.

Culture Minister Edwin Poots has said the Department of Finance and Personnel is still studying the project.