KOBER/HANSSEN/MITCHELL ARCHITECTS
An artist's rendering shows the proposed Kapolei amphitheater. Ground-breaking could occur in the second quarter of 2004.
Kapolei amphitheater
approval appears
imminent, company saysThe 15,000-seat, $18 million complex
could be completed in early 2005
A 15,000-seat amphitheater proposed for Kapolei appears to be moving toward becoming a reality.
Terry Gallagher, a partner with Jeff Bryant in Global Venue Group LLC, the Michigan-based company behind the venture, told members of the West Oahu Economic Development Association yesterday that the company is in the permitting and planning process and could receive a conditional use permit approval by Dec. 22. It already has received neighborhood board approval.
The project will cost close to $18 million, not including land, which the company intends to lease from the Estate of James Campbell. The general contractor for the project will be Maryl Pacific Construction Inc. The structure was designed by Kober/Hanssen Mitchell Architects.
The amphitheater will sit on 33.5 acres of land across from Kapolei Business Park on Kalaeloa Boulevard. The closest residential area is the 300-home Honokai Hale cluster about three miles away. The land immediately surrounding the site is zoned for industrial use.
Gallagher estimates 11 to 12 months for construction after ground breaking for the facility occurs in the second quarter of 2004.
While community and neighborhood board members initially expressed concerns about noise, Gallagher said the amphitheater has been designed in such a way that concert noise would be directed toward the ocean. It also will have a state-of-the-art sound refraction system and directional sound baffling system.
Global Venue also has since conducted traffic studies to allay the neighborhood board concerns.
Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board Chairwoman Maeda Timson said her group was impressed with the responsiveness of the company to community concerns.
"The concerns we had were about sound and traffic," she said. "But within the next month, they got back to us. They're obviously concerned about being good community neighbors. It doesn't mean we still aren't concerned, but they promised to work with the community should it become a problem so we thought it was a good project."
Because events are expected to attract a mix of locals and visitors, there will be parking to accommodate about 3,500 cars as well as 50 to 60 buses, Gallagher said.
"Our research says the bigger the act, the more people will likely come from major hotels so we anticipate about a 50/50 mix," he said.
A large built-up grassy lawn seating area will be part of the facility and will accommodate about 7,000 people. Those seats would cost considerably less than hard seating, he said.
