Aloha Stadium — home of the University of Hawai'i football team — opened Sept. 12, 1975, with the first game played a day later between UH and Texas A&I.
The 50,000-seat Halawa facility is the largest multipurpose facility of its kind in Hawai'i and is hailed as the most versatile.
The stadium hosts an array of events, including the NFL's Pro Bowl, concerts, graduations, car shows, fairs and the swap meet, a popular shopping event for residents and tourists.
"I don't think there's any other venue in the state that can do all the different types of events that we do at our stadium," Aloha Stadium spokesman Patrick Leonard said. "It's a place for people to gather. I don't think I've ever met anyone who hasn't been to Aloha Stadium."
The $32 million facility became O'ahu's main sports venue after Honolulu Stadium was torn down in 1976.
Aloha Stadium also has undergone costly repairs. In 1998, an Advertiser study revealed the state collected $31 million in settlements from lawsuits it filed over construction defects at Aloha Stadium — but ended up paying about $10.5 million in legal fees and expenses over 16 years of litigation.
The steel used to build the stadium corroded quicker than expected, and cost nearly $50 million to repair.
