Question: We recently experienced another poor Aloha Stadium policy, in which the gates into the stadium don’t open until 4:30 p.m. Hundreds of fans gathered at North Gate from 4 p.m. Ticket collectors and security bag checkers were already in place. When the gate finally did open, fans rushed to queue in a very poorly formed line. Thousands of fans arrive by bus well before 4:30 p.m., in addition to fans who don’t tailgate, but come early to get parking. Then, to have to wait in the sun for the gates to open is absolutely ridiculous. This situation then exacerbates buying food and drink at concession stands as fans must once again rush to wait in more lines. Vendors come early to set up their businesses only to have their customers locked out. Doesn’t a policy that is inconvenient to fans and unfair to vendors beg for a change in policy?
Answer: Aloha Stadium officials "sincerely apologize for the inconvenience" but said they have experimented with opening the gates at various times on several occasions.
"Unfortunately, after evaluating the situation and discussing it with all concerned, we have concluded that opening turnstile gates earlier does not support concession sales or operational expenses," an official said.
Opening earlier would entail spending "thousands of dollars" with the prospect that returns would fall short of the actual cost of operations, he said.
"Therefore, opening any earlier does not make good business sense," he said. "However, we will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether opening times need to be adjusted in the future."
In the meantime, stadium officials suggest that people arriving early:
» Go to the "Aloha Zone" at the North end near turnstile Gate 7.
"The environment provides a real tailgate experience under a 50-foot-by-100-foot tent," the official said, with "almost everything you could receive in the inside" including live entertainment, games, six large flat-screen TVs, an area with tables and chairs, and a built-in misting system.
» Go to "Chevron Family Fun Zone" at the South end (upper Halawa parking lot across from the main box office) for family entertainment.
» Enter through Gate 8 to avoid long lines. Turnstile counts indicate that it is one of the least-used gates to enter.
Question: On Sept. 20 you published a question regarding dying palms at the McCully Bridge/Ala Wai Boulevard intersection. The city said damage was due to nonwatering. The palms may not have "been watered for a while," however nearby palms are healthy with just rainwater. I walk past those palms daily, and they are dying from disease. Absolutely no city worker tends to that plot of land. Every day I clean up the fallen debris from the trees. Photos I took on Sept. 20 show the accumulated debris and dead plants. It is time for someone to pay attention to these plantings. What does the city say now?
Answer: The city says the palms are not beyond recovery. Immediately after we forwarded your photos, the area was cleared of debris.
The city Departments of Facility Maintenance and Parks and Recreation looked into your concerns, bringing in an arborist, said Louise Kim McCoy, the mayor’s press secretary.
The arborist "has determined (the palms) are salvageable," she said. "The palms have been trimmed back, and crews will continue to monitor them."
AUWE
To the inconsiderate driver of a Lexus SUV traveling makai on 12th Avenue near Harding Avenue on Saturday morning, Sept. 24, who neglected to avoid a pothole filled with muddy water. That caused the water to splash all over my white top while I was parked in a metered stall loading my trunk. Slow down and pay attention! — Disappointed and Dirty
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
