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Friday, November 19, 1999



More fans, less gridlock
expected for UH games

Bullet Mobile Bowl steps aside
Bullet Rainbows wary of Navy

By Treena Shapiro
Star-Bulletin

Tapa

University of Hawaii and Aloha Stadium officials have been disappointed with Rainbow football ticket sales since an opening-game sellout this season.

But with the UH guaranteed at least a share of the Western Athletic Conference title after last week's victory over Fresno State, they think football fever will bring fans back to the stadium.

"It's a tremendous season they're having," said Les Keiter, special assistant to the stadium authority. "They won the title in a double overtime victory ... a euphoria has spread over the state. We've never had anything like it before."

The excitement has Keiter and others expecting the turnout at the two remaining home games to exceed 40,000. Attendance last Saturday was 35,417. The Rainbows face Navy tomorrow and Washington State on Nov. 27.

The factors cited for less than expected attendance include:

Bullet Concern generated by gridlock and inadequate parking at the season-opener against Southern California.

Bullet The price of an additional home game (nine home games this year vs. eight in previous years).

Bullet A tape-delayed TV broadcast that starts at 9 p.m., much earlier than before because the games start earlier.

Bullet Residual disappointment from three losing seasons.

"Parking has always been a concern," UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida acknowledged. "People want to park in close proximity to the game."

But fans at last week's game said the situation has improved since the the opener. Jody Yamauchi said she arrived in enough time to tailgate and cook before the game. "It was definitely worth the wait," she said.

Dan Rutt, who has attended all the games this season, said it took him 90 minutes to get to the USC game from Pearl City. He left at 4:30 p.m., expecting to have a leisurely dinner at the stadium before the game. Instead, he found himself entering the gates during the national anthem.

But after the Fresno State game, Rutt said traffic has been "good. Only the USC game was terrible."

Stadium Manager Edwin Hayashi said more people would come if they knew traffic conditions had improved.

Jim Donovan, assistant athletic director at UH, noted that 39,500 attended the Rice game, and there were no traffic problems. He anticipated turnouts at the remaining games to be 42,000, with a similar lack of driving woes.

What has helped, Donovan said, is opening the lower Halawa gate at 1 p.m. to high occupancy vehicles, setting up extra parking at Kam Drive-In and Leeward Community College, and encouraging people to use shuttle buses.

He said police have been very proactive. "They're actually directing people through red lights to help traffic."


'BOW BUSES

The UH Football Express bus service by TheBus, $2 fare one way, will be running from the following locations:
Bullet Lunalilo Home Road and Kalanianaole Highway, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Hawaii Kai Park & Ride, 4:35 p.m.
Bullet Kahala Mall, Waialae and Kilauea avenues, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Koko Head and Waialae avenues, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Palolo McDonald's, 4:32 p.m.
Bullet University and Dole Sinclair Library Circle, 4:40 p.m.
Bullet Waikiki bandstand area, Monsarrat and Kalakaua, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Ala Moana Center, Kona and Kona Iki streets, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Mililani Mauka, Ukuwai and Makaikai streets, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Kapolei State Building, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Village Park Park & Ride, 4:45 p.m.
Bullet Across Castle Medical Center, 4:15 p.m.
Bullet Across Enchanted Lake Shopping Center, 4:20 p.m.
Bullet Kailua Shopping Center, 4:25 p.m.
Bullet Aikahi Shopping Center, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Across Windward City Shopping Center, 4:40 p.m.
Roberts Hawaii School Bus service also will shuttle fans to the stadium for a $5 round trip from:
Bullet Hawaii Kai Park & Ride, 4:45 p.m.
Bullet Kahala Bank of Hawaii, 5 p.m.
Bullet Waianae behind Pizza Hut, 4:30 p.m.
Bullet Nanakuli next to NAPA, 4:45 p.m.
Bullet Kapolei Theatres, 5 p.m.

Reservations are not required. Service is first-come, first-serve. Call 832-4886 for further information.




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