HTA against shifting $3M to UH sports

The Hawaii Tourism Authority repeated Monday its stance against legislative measures that could reduce its $82 million annual budget.

George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the HTA, opposes a bill that would reallocate $3 million of HTA’s budget to subsidize travel expenses incurred by University of Hawaii sports teams. A state House committee will hear testimony on Senate Bill 83 at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Room 312 of the state Capitol.

“The HTA stands in opposition to any legislation being considered that reduces our budget or weakens our capability to market tourism for the Hawaiian Islands,” Szigeti said in a statement. “We believe funding to support travel by University of Hawaii student-athletes should come from sources other than HTA’s budget.”

On Wednesday HTA also will provide comments to a state Senate committee on House Bill 1847, which would create and fund a sports and entertainment authority. Likewise, HTA will discuss House Bill 2229, which creates and funds a sports task force for the state. HB 1847 will be heard at 1:15 p.m. in Room 414, followed by HB 2229 at 1:20 p.m.

“Sports is a vital component of HTA’s overall marketing efforts to promote travel to Hawaii. If a new sports authority is created, it’s important that we avoid duplicating efforts and that revenues from the TAT (transient accommodations tax) are sufficient to support all legislative priorities,” Szigeti said. “Like HTA, a new authority’s staffing arrangements, infrastructure and business model should be as streamlined and self-sufficient as possible.”

HTA already has committed $9 million in funds this year to support 19 sports events in Hawaii with a projected economic impact of $144 million, he said.

Szigeti said legislation to reduce HTA’s budget would force the agency to scale back its tourism marketing and reduce funding for the local nonprofits that the agency helps support.