Bill to move ahead on a new stadium in do-or-die mode

A measure that is key to moving ahead on a replacement for Aloha Stadium goes down to the wire at the Legislature today.

Senate Bill 994, which would empower the Stadium Authority to develop the 98-acre parcel where Aloha Stadium sits, has been postponed three times this week in conference committee and must receive passage today if it is to be sent to the floor for a final vote Tuesday, the last hurdle to placing it before Gov. David Ige.

It has taken nearly 3-1/2 years to get to this point, and, if passed, Sen. Glenn Wakai (D, Kalihi-Salt Lake-Aliamanu) said, “This will get them (the authority) going in the direction they want to go for, probably, the next five years. This is just one more tool for the stadium to reinvent the entire Halawa area.”

Authority Chairman Ross Yamasaki said earlier in the day, “I’m pretty optimistic it (passage) is going to happen, but I don’t like to count the chickens before they hatch.”

Stadium officials are mindful that a key bill died in conference last year — at 6 p.m. on the final day.

A consultant’s report earlier this month underlined the urgency for action on the future of the 42-year-old facility. The report listed the cost of maintaining the stadium for another 25 years at $423 million compared with $324.5 million (in 2017 dollars) for a new stadium seating 30,000-35,000 and expandable to 40,000.

In addition, the report concluded the stadium has “served its useful life and is now a liability to fan experiences, a potential danger to public health and safety and a financial burden for maintenance operations.”

Stadium manager Scott Chan has said, “There’s always risk with an aging facility. At this time, though, it is a facility that is still operable and a safe facility to come to.”

Federal and city deed restrictions were removed this month, giving the authority expanded powers and finances as the next steps in the process. With the powers, the authority would be able to proceed to an environmental impact statement and master plan. A consultant hired by the state said that would “de-risk” the project for potential developers, making a request for proposal more attractive.

The authority hopes to reduce the cost of a new stadium to the state with a public-private partnership.

Once approved, stadium officials have said it could be a five- to seven-year process to get the stadium built.

Aloha Stadium opened in 1975 at a cost of $37 million.