A state Senate committee unanimously forwarded a bill that would establish a statewide sports and entertainment authority, but it was notable that four of the seven votes in favor came with reservations Wednesday.
It (SB 2216) has been a controversial bill and I think there were more questions than answers.”
– Sam Slom (R, Kahala-Hawaii Kai)
“It has been a controversial bill and I think there were more questions than answers,” said Sam Slom (R, Kahala-Hawaii Kai), vice chairman of the Economic Development, Environment and Technology Committee, who was among those with reservations.
Senate bill 2216 would set up a comprehensive authority to oversee Aloha Stadium and other sports facilities and attract and coordinate events such as PGA and LPGA tournaments and the Pro Bowl. In addition the proposed measure would provide for a salaried state sports coordinator and volunteer board.
The bill has another Senate committee to clear. A similar measure, House bill 1847, has been advancing on that side.
EET Committee chairman Glenn Wakai (D Kalihi-Salt Lake) said the bill, proposed by Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, “has certainly ignited discussion that is long overdue. The fact that we don’t have a Stadium Authority that has a marketing plan, that we don’t have a (Hawaii) Tourism Authority that has a marketing plan is unacceptable. So this will either ignite one of those two and, hopefully, both to come out and figure out how to fill the stadium and bring bodies here for sports and entertainment, because we can’t have the status quo continue.”
Wakai told the committee, “Somehow, we need to put Hawaii in a better position.”
The bill would abolish the 11-member Aloha Stadium Authority and direct $10 million in revenue from the hotel tax to sports authority operations.
Slom questioned doing away with the Stadium Authority and said, “Maybe we’re putting the cart before the horse in trying to establish this new commission.”
Sherry Menor-McNamara, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii CEO, said, the bill “is still a work in progress. We have a lot of work to do to help people understand why this is significant to Hawaii and why there needs to be a coordinating role in leveraging our resources and location.”
