Speaking after it was revealed that the Maze Consultation Panel had recommended that a major sports stadium, national arts centre and centre for conflict transformation be developed on the former prison site, Alliance Assembly member for the area (Lagan Valley) stated:
“This is a golden letter day for Lisburn, the jewel in the crown of Northern Ireland. It is an investment in the future, which will help us to move on from the past and into a brighter future.
“This will be a facility for all the people of Northern Ireland, and further afield. It represents a big vote of confidence in Lisburn, which has both good motorway access and a large catchment area.
“This will lead to investment in the area of several hundred million pounds, and hopefully it will be become Northern Ireland’s ‘Oasis’ – perhaps a good name for the project?”