Austin Stack Park upgrade to be completed in May
Development work to upgrade the Horan's end of Austin Stack Park in Tralee is expected to be completed in May.
The work, which will see the previous grass bank replaced by concrete terracing, will increase spectator capacity by 2,500.
This will bring the capacity at Kerry's second home up to 14,000 – only 10 years after a GAA report suggested the ground’s capacity may have to be capped at 6,000.
Since then, however, a redevelopment of the stadium, which began in 2015, has seen the installation of a new pitch, the Mitchels Terrace side of the ground redeveloped, new lights installed and the refurbishment of the offices and removal of the wire around the pitch.
And this summer the ground will hit the 14,500 mark – with the latest work costing just under €2 million.
Uniquely, the rejuvenation of the stadium has been facilitated by local businesspeople and community.
"We have approached the redevelopment on a phased basis," says Tom Keane, assistant treasurer of Kerry GAA.
"We have a group of 150 people in the business and local community who pay annual subscriptions that help us maintain and upgrade the ground.
"The response has been brilliant locally and it allows us to continue to improve in a practical and responsible fashion.
"In return we can provide quality league games for local spectators – this season alone we will have had Mayo and Galway in town.
"As we go along then we have addressed whatever we needed to and upgrade the ground phase by phase."
Watch Tipperary v Limerick in the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday from 5pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
