Stadium plan draws
schools’ concerns

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By Treena Shapiro and Dave Reardon
tshapiro@starbulletin.com
dreardon@starbulletin.com

High school athletic organizations are keeping a close eye on a proposal in the Legislature to turn over the management of Aloha Stadium from the Stadium Authority to the University of Hawaii.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, said he has a good working relationship with both the Stadium Authority and UH, where his organization also holds high-school games.

"However, there is some concern amongst us that any change in management of the stadium may cause an increase in cost to use the stadium and possibly even limit the types of uses of the stadium," he said.

His concerns include the possibility that UH may charge rent for use of the stadium, lock the stadium into a football configuration (eliminating baseball and soccer) or cover the field in natural grass (limiting how often the field can be used).

The National Football League has insisted the state change the field surface at Aloha Stadium or lose the Pro Bowl, but the new covering will likely be artificial FieldTurf, not natural grass.

Aloha Stadium has the only football field large enough to accommodate high-school playoff games, which sometimes attract about 10,000 spectators, while the 2001 state championship game between St. Louis and Kahuku drew almost 25,000, Amemiya said. The next-largest stadium -- at a high school -- only holds about 4,000 people.

Clay Benham, executive secretary of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, said he was happy with the operation of the stadium by the present staff, but "I'm sure that whoever takes it over would entertain in a positive way the request of the (Oahu Interscholastic Association) and the ILH requests to use the stadium."

Calling the high-school athletic programs his program's "lifeblood," UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida affirmed this, saying that UH would do its best to accommodate the high schools, as it already does at its swimming pool, softball field and other facilities. The swap meet, concerts and other special events would also be held there.

"I think we'd run it very similar to what's already there and maybe add a little more, if it's at all possible," he said.

Yoshida said managing the stadium would give the athletic department a source of additional revenue, through naming opportunities and advertising.

As far as ticket prices go, he said the department was thinking of pricing the tickets according to seat location.

UH is examining the stadium's expenses and looking for hidden costs, but Yoshida said he understands there is no debt service on the stadium. He said he believes UH could turn a profit.

Stadium Manager Edwin Hayashi declined to comment on the potential transfer. He said the stadium was making a profit, but the figures were not available yesterday because of a maintenance emergency.

As far as expenses, Hayashi said it costs $2.71 million annually to run the stadium --- $670,000 for maintenance personnel, $575,000 for general services personnel, $930,000 for annual routine maintenance and $535,000 for utilities.

He said the 27-year-old stadium requires substantial repair, renovation and improvement work to maintain operations.

Hayashi said that to keep the stadium viable, these capital improvements are necessary:

>> Install new spectator seats: $12 million to $16 million.
>> Repair/improve lower Halawa parking lot: $10 million.
>> Repair circulation road: $6 million.
>> Repair/improve parking lot: $7 million to $8 million.
>> Repair/improve stand movement system: $2 million to $3 million.
>> Replace playing surface (every six to eight years): $3 million to $4 million.
>> Corrosion maintenance (every five years): $3 million.