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The University of Hawaii has reached the end zone in its sprint to retrofitting its on-campus stadium.
The bleachers, which were prefabricated on the mainland, are being laid out behind the end zone on the Diamond Head side of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex. Once those bleachers, which can fit approximately 2,000 spectators, are assembled, Ching will be a step away from meeting the 9,000-seat goal for this coming college football season. Ching will serve as the Rainbow Warriors’ home stadium for at least the next three football seasons.
“I’m pleased we’re on track,” said UH athletic director David Matlin, whose Warriors’ home opener is against Portland State on Sept. 4. “There’s more work to do. We’re on track based on our timelines.”
UH was forced to scramble for a football home when Aloha Stadium officials announced in December that structural concerns would prevent spectator-attended events from being staged at the 46-year-old facility in Halawa. Plans for a new Halawa stadium are navigating through the legislative and private-sector courses. Meanwhile, after considering several options, including playing games at Maui’s War Memorial Stadium, UH officials decided to retrofit 3,200-seat Ching field.
The project began with the 1,380-seat bleachers on the makai sideline being relocated to behind the ‘Ewa end zone.
Two weeks ago, a set of 3,399-seat bleachers, which were prefabricated on the mainland, arrived on campus. After adjustments to meet disability requirements, those bleachers were assembled on the makai side. “They’re still battening down the hatches and all that stuff, smaller stuff,” Matlin said, but “the makai grandstands are up now.”
After completing work on the Diamond Head bleachers, workers will install the pre-made “suites” on the makai side. “It’s like an Erector Set,” Matlin said of the assembly.
On the mauka side is a three-story building featuring concrete bleachers. There is no update on when plastic benches will be placed on the concrete bleachers. “The worst case is you’ll still have seats there,” Matlin said.
Matlin indicated UH essentially met the goal of installing a new artificial playing turf by the end of June. “The whole turf is there,” Matlin said. “I don’t think it’s finalized. Now they’re putting some of the trim in. They’re doing some of the details for it.”
The AstroTurf was placed without scarring the track, which was installed two years ago.
Matlin said footing and steel work will begin soon to support the new two-sided scoreboard. Daktronics, a South Dakota-based company specializing in LED video displays, is expected to install the scoreboard in August. “That goes up pretty quick,” said Matlin, who has worked successfully with Daktronics in the past. “A lot of (the installation) is the programming and connectivity, and that’s all ready to go.”
The retrofitting project is estimated to cost $8.3 million. So-called “repair and maintenance” money will cover part of the costs. The UH Foundation has raised more than $4 million, including the $1.5 million donation from the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, to offset expenses.“We’re not quite all paid for, but we’re in pretty decent shape,” Matlin said. “We have more work to do.”
Matlin said UH will send seat assignments to potential season-ticket buyers beginning this week.
Matlin also is hopeful state guidelines will ease restrictions on gatherings for large sporting events. “We’re going to continue to follow all ordinances, but we seem to be trending in a good direction,” Matlin said.
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