THE cost of the GAA's stalled Casement Park stadium project has reached £9.2 million before construction work has even begun.
Work was due to start two years ago, but in 2014 planning approval for the original design was quashed in a High Court legal challenge.
An overall budget of about £77m has been set aside for the project, including £62m of public funds, but it is unclear if the delays will cause the cost to increase.
It emerges after a fly-through video of the proposed new west Belfast stadium was premiered to fans during Sunday's Ulster GAA final at Clones between Tyrone and Down.
The artist's impression showed panoramic views of the stadium bowl, as well as the planned sporting and community facilities.
Fans also caught a glimpse of the project's education, culture and heritage centre, which showed a museum-like space with walls adorned in historical GAA photographs.
The £9.2m spend was confirmed by the Department for Communities (DfC) in response to a freedom of information request.
In 2014 planning approval for a 38,000-capacity ground was overturned in a legal challenge by residents.
The judge ruled that the impact of bigger crowds had not been properly examined.
The project then became embroiled in controversy over emergency exit plans after a safety expert in 2015 raised concerns about the initial proposals.
A revised planning application was submitted in February with a reduced spectator capacity of around 34,000.
Ulster GAA hopes to finish construction in 2019, but residents behind the previous legal action remain opposed, saying it is "not a significant reduction" in capacity.
Global engineering firm Aecom has been appointed as a 'movement consultant' to examine how pedestrians and vehicles interact in an emergency scenario at the proposed stadium.
The £25,000 assessment, funded by DfC, follows concerns raised in November by the PSNI of an "unacceptable risk" in emergency evacuation proposals.
Ulster GAA has previously said it is "confident of resolving all aspects pertaining to safety".
The new plans show the GAA wants to use the stadium for up to three music concerts a year.
Full spectator capacity is only expected to be reached four times a year – during the Ulster football championship final and the concerts.
Casement Park project board chairman Tom Daly said the fly-through video "brings to life the outstanding sporting, community, cultural and economic opportunities" of the new stadium.
"We are extremely excited about the plans for our new stadium and we want GAA members, people in the local community and everyone that has an interest in the project to see for themselves the impact it will have and to have their voice heard on the project," he said.
"The Ulster GAA team is looking forward to the outcome of the planning application later this year and the opportunities that the stadium will provide for future generations across Belfast, Antrim and Ulster."
