Looking for international sponsors for ‘ongoing transformation’…
Courtesy of reader John, and found in the Times (of London) Business pages yesterday, an appeal for international sponsorship from the Strategic Investment Board for it’s ‘iconic proposal’ at the Maze:
“The proposed development of the Maze/Long Kesh former prison site is planned to provide a physical expression of the ongoing transformation from conflict to peace and to provide an inclusive and shared resource for the whole community.“The Masterplan for the site includes a flagship multi-sports stadium with 42,000 capacity which will host Gaelic sports, football and rugby matches in Northern Ireland, in addition to a range of pop
concerts and other events…“We are seeking a sponsor who supports the ethos of the Shared Future for Northern Ireland and who appreciates the mutual commercial benefits to be gained by being associated with the international
branding of this iconic proposal.”
John comments: There is no runner-up award for molar-grinding use of civil-servantese.
I think I’ve managed to translate it, basically:
” We need financial backers for a new sports stadium.”
Still can’t get my head round this “international branding of this iconic proposal” bit though.
Anyway,
We are seeking a sponsor who supports the ethos of the Shared Future for Northern Ireland and who appreciates the mutual commercial benefits to be gained by being associated with the international branding of this iconic proposal
Considering a fair proportion of all three sports’ supporters have grave doubts about this project, I’d have thought that the Powers-That-Be would have been better job at “selling” the project to the actual people who they want to be using it first, before trying to attract outside sponsorship.
“a fair proportion of all three sports’ supporters have grave doubts about this project”
A touch of an understatement.
82% of rugby fans and even more football fans surveyed were against the Maze proposal (I thinkt that’s more than a “fair proportion”), while GAA fans seem apathetic at best.
But why bother selling it when you can bribe and blackmail all the support that matters?
Roll up, roll up. Throw your money into buying a white Elephant.
Funny – David “No PLan B” Hanson recently told us in a press release that viabiity and affordabilit6y studies ae beign carried out. what if they conclude that the stadium is not viable, or unaffordable? shouldn’t the Strategic Investment Board wait for those studies to be complete before seeking a sponsor?
or – could it be that the whole thing is a stitch up job???
anyway Guinness have already said they’ll do it.