How the Maze site could look if the plans get the go ahead

Gerry Lennon of the Belfast Visitor Centre said it would cost too much to build all the relevant infrastructure around the County Antrim site.

He said it would make more economic sense to build the stadium in Belfast.

The plan is for a 35,000-seater stadium for soccer and rugby, and the provision of more seats for GAA fans.

This would mean the removal of 5,000 seats to allow up to 12,000 extra GAA fans to stand at matches.

"This would be the gravest mistake ever, if it is built there (the Maze)," he said.

"It is the simplest no-brainer ever that it should be in the city of Belfast, where there is the infrastructure there.

"You don't have to build it, you are going to exploit all the benefits from it and save the money that you would do to build the infrastructure round there into something else we are talking about.

"It is nonsense."

The stadium planned for the site of the Maze prison is to be designed by the team behind the London Olympic Stadium.

The Mott MacDonald HOK Sport Team has won the international competition to design the multi-sports arena.

However, the government will not make the final decision until the end of the year on whether to build the stadium.

Demolition of the Maze site is expected to be completed in November.

Belfast City Council has a rival plan to build a 25,000 seat stadium at Ormeau Park.