Aloha Stadium JumboTron gets a $1 million overhaul

A plan is also in place to replace the seating

University of Hawaii football fans should notice a jumbo improvement at Warrior home games at Aloha Stadium this season.

"Now you're giving a broader base of information." Scott Chan Aloha Stadium manager

The stadium's 17-year-old JumboTron received a near-$1 million overhaul of its circuitry and computers, allowing the stadium to display a much wider array of replays, scores and statistics.

The improvements are scheduled to be done in time for Hawaii's first home game Sept. 6 against Weber State, stadium manager Scott Chan said.

The 19x26-foot JumboTron screen itself will remain the same.

Flashier and quicker instant replays are now possible, supplemented by ongoing stats and scoring updates from around the country.

"I would think (it would appeal), now you're giving a broader base of information, you're informed about other games you're interested in, how they might be doing," Chan said.

Scoreboard administrator Dave Golz said the screen crew is still in the process of figuring out the exact content.

"We'll stick to Top 25," Golz said. "Live video of whatever's in the stadium, and put the (stat) graphics over. We have to put them a little bigger than a (score) ticker so people can read it. We can do things a little more creative, a couple different pages."

Another major addition for the upcoming season is the placement of security cameras at various nooks throughout the 50,000-seat stadium - as well as above it. They're wired and ready to go.

"We're informing the general public to improve our coverage of our property and for security to have a better view of some of the blind spots we have in the facility," Chan said.

The cameras with a bird's-eye view above the stadium will be used to help juggle the yearly traffic issue as fans stream into the parking lot on game days.

"We can see as far as Red Hill, and places like Salt Lake Boulevard," Chan said. "It's gonna give us a huge advantage this year."

A plan is also in place to overhaul the stadium's seating section-by-section starting after the completion of this season.

The NFL replaced 3,000 seats for the Pro Bowl two years ago. Chan wants to pick up where it left off, one section at a time.

But Chan acknowledged the project will take several years to complete, and it wasn't possible to begin work in time for the 2008 football season.

He seemed optimistic the job would get done with or without funding from the Legislature.

"We're trying to step up to the plate and make the seat replacement part of the budget every year," Chan said.