THE Isle of Man-based financier, Mr Albert Gubay, has announced plans for a £17 million sports and sports science institute at Sandyford in Co Dublin.
The institute is proposed for a 24-acre site at the foot of the Dublin mountains overlooking the city. Mr Gubay says it will offer facilities comparable to those in the US, Australia and South Africa. He envisages physiological testing, sports psychology and centres of expertise on nutrition, injury prevention and sports science research.
Other facilities proposed include a 33-metre training pool, a 12.5-metre leisure pool, 200-metre and 100-metre indoor running - tracks, cardiovascular conditioning facilities, a power-training gymnasium, accommodation and conference rooms.
A multi-sports hall, a "regeneration centre", and performance and movement-testing laboratories are also proposed.
Mr Gubay says the venture would be developed by his Total Fitness chain of health clubs, the first of which is in Blanchardstown: a second is being built in Malahide. A Total Fitness club would be developed alongside the sports science institute.
Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Mr Gubay said he got the idea for the institute while visiting a similar facility in Cape Town, South Africa.
He said he has made a deal to buy the site subject to planning permission from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The land is zoned for amenity use.
Mr Gubay is also involved in controversial negotiations to build a £50 million marina and housing development at Greystones, Co Wicklow. Residents have objected to the level of housing development, which Mr Gubay says is required to finance the scheme.
Last year, he also proposed building a 50-metre Olympic standard swimming pool and hotel development on lands at Kilbogget Park in south Co Dublin owned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Mr Gubay was previously in business in this State in the late 1970s with a chain of supermarkets which he later sold.