Cork county committee delegates have voted unanimously to accept the renaming of the county ground as SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The new name becomes effective immediately and brings to a close the controversial events of the past two weeks.
This follows a special meeting of the county board with a one-item agenda, to consider the naming rights of the stadium, which was redeveloped for 2017 at a cost of €96 million. It still carries an outstanding debt of €30 million, underlining the importance of securing commercial backing such as this agreement.
That it was unanimous was positive news for the executive, as there had been some rumblings that any dilution of the Ó Caoimh – commemorating former GAA general secretary Pádraig – legacy might be opposed by a minority, but this never materialised.
There had been disquiet over the leaked suggestion that the Leeside venue be renamed as SuperValu Páirc, but Thursday night’s decision reflects the consensus that the new name is an acceptable compromise.
The deal is believed to be worth about €250,000 per annum and will run for 10 years.
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