Stephen Tsai: Some things a new Aloha Stadium must have

There is nothing wrong with dreaming.

Test drive that Tesla and attend the open house in Kahala.

And for those even remotely affiliated with building a new stadium in Halawa, tag along on the University of Hawaii football team’s road trips to San Diego State, as they did 10 days ago, and to Colorado State this weekend.

But then realize there is a difference between window shopping and actually making a down payment.

Face it, for all the good intentions — and $400 million in seed money, if it is ever released in whole — Hawaii will never be able to replicate San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium or Colorado State’s Canvas Stadium.

There is not enough money or resources for the materials, construction and maintenance. Luxury areas with individual monitors? A grass surface so immaculate it appears to be synthetic? And something called a cantilever that is inspired by San Diego’s piers? All are haupia-pie-in-the-sky dreams for Hawaii.

Forget all the bells and whistles — there probably only is enough budgeted for whistles — and these are what must be addressed for Aloha Stadium’s replacement:

>> Locker rooms: Not such an obvious requirement considering the visiting football team uses part of the Les Murakami concourse as a locker room for games at the Ching Complex. The new stadium will need at least four locker rooms, each with a separate room for coaches, and an area large enough to conduct pregame and halftime meetings. With four locker rooms, the venue could serve as host to high school doubleheaders. There once was a time when the Aloha Bowl and Oahu Bowl were played on the same day at Aloha Stadium.

>> Seating: When your great-grandfather’s Bedrock High team played at Honolulu Stadium, it was OK for fans to watch from bleachers with other people’s knees serving as hardbacks. There also was a time when movie goers had to strategically find seats that were not behind long-necked viewers. But now movie plexes have plush recliners. And for 45 years, fans at Aloha Stadium had individual seats. Nobody wants to go back to bleacher seating at a permanent venue.

>> Restrooms: Plumbing problems and water-pipe erosion were part of the reason Aloha Stadium was condemned for spectator-attended events. Even before the proverbial yellow tape was put up, Aloha Stadium had an inadequate number of restrooms. There should be more available for health and economic reasons. The more time you spend in line for the restroom, the less time there is to stand in line for food and merchandise. And if hand-free sinks and paper-towel dispensers are to be installed, let’s not even consider the return of urinal troughs. We’re not 19th-century cowboys.

>> Luxury boxes: Every Division I stadium has several to attract and entertain big-money donors. Aloha Stadium used the UH president’s booth on the makai sideline or the former baseball press box in the South end zone to host VIPs. Private boxes to be put out to bid would generate revenue for UH. The key is to not build too many. Supply-and-demand should be the guide.

>> Merchandise shops: Not just pop-up shops, but a permanent store. It doesn’t have to be like the Dallas Cowboys’ pro shop at AT&T Stadium, a three-level store in which customers exit to “Jerry Jones thanks you.” But the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas do a great job with a wide supply of merch.

>> Train station: It has long been noted that no freeway exit leads into the Aloha Stadium parking lot. Instead, drivers exit and create gridlock on Salt Lake streets on event days. The hope is the Halawa station will be finished in time for the new stadium. A greater hope is the rail will be finished, too.