Senators want query A state senator has accused the Hawaii Tourism Authority's former sports marketing consultant of conflict of interest and possible criminal wrongdoing.
into Pro Bowl deal
Lawmakers say Harrington's
alleged actions could hurt contract
renegotiations with the NFLBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comTourism chair Donna Mercado Kim (D, Moanalua Valley-Aiea-Pearlridge-Kalihi Valley) said yesterday that Tau Harrington -- then receiving $45,000 for a six-month contract from the HTA -- received money from the NFL for Pro Bowl-related services that were already to be provided by the HTA under the league's contract with the state.
"I think there is criminal activity here," Kim said during an informational briefing at the state Capitol.
Harrington said the allegations are not true.
"If anything, this is just a big misunderstanding," he said.
The NFL sent Harrington a check for $21,000, "as payment for the invoice you submitted for the airport meet and greet/decor program," according to a letter dated March 11 from NFL Senior Vice President for Special Events Jim Steeg.
But Steeg's letter raised questions about the payment.
"We did not anticipate the airport and signage program to cost $21,000," it reads. "What is somewhat troubling in paying this particular expense is that we did not review the component parts of the program beforehand."
The letter also indicates that Harrington directed that Steeg seek a $6,000 reimbursement from the HTA for disputed expenses.
Harrington's invoice was submitted on the letterhead of his company, Harrington Sports Marketing, LLC.
Harrington also billed the NFL $6,155.36 on March 13. In a March 24 letter, Steeg requested more information before he would pay the bill, which included a $1,100 "management fee."
On Feb. 11, he wrote to HTA president Rex Johnson, "I have not received any commission or other compensation for the work that I do for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, from the NFL, or from any other sports event contractor that is awarded funding from the HTA."
Harrington said yesterday he still stands by the letter, and the billings to the NFL were for services provided that did not fall under his HTA responsibilities.
Kim and Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai-Aina Haina) disagree.
"We're looking at a conflict of interest, we're looking at possible wrongdoing in that this person was contracted by the state to do these services and then went and billed the entity for more services. Whether or not these services can be construed to be covered under his contract and are supposed to be part of his obligations, I believe it is," Kim said. "Everything I've looked at points to that."
Slom said the situation hurts the state while it is trying to renegotiate its Pro Bowl contract with the NFL.
"I think the facts speak for themselves that there's wrongdoing here by someone," he said. "If there's a problem here it reflects poorly on the state."
Kim said she requested that Harrington be at the meeting.
"He was not here today. So that also indicates there might be something wrong," she said.
Harrington said he was not told he should be at the meeting until late Tuesday, and could not rearrange his schedule.
The meeting was billed as an informational briefing dealing with a summary of the Pro Bowl.
"We've been looking at the paperwork for the past week or so, so we had an idea that some of these questions would be asked," Johnson said. "I'm certainly hoping there are logical explanations for it, but we'll look very seriously at it."
Harrington's second six-month contract ended last month and was not renewed.
The NFL and the state are expected to open negotiations soon for extension of their current Pro Bowl contract that runs through 2005. The league is expected to propose a three-year deal at the owners meetings in Phoenix on March 23-26. Hawaii pays the NFL more than $5 million a year to host the game, which generates around $2.32 million in state tax revenue.