Dobelle proposes new stadium in West O'ahu

By Frank Cho and John Duchemin
Advertiser Staff Writers

University of Hawai'i President Evan Dobelle has proposed a 60,000-seat stadium in West O'ahu that would become the home of the university's football team.

University of Hawai'i President Evan Dobelle is interested in giving O'ahu a second legitimate state university to complement the flagship Manoa campus. If his West O'ahu concept holds up, he will present it to the regents next month. Advertiser photo illustration

Dobelle said the university could pay for the new stadium by selling Aloha Stadium to private developers; attracting private money for luxury skyboxes; selling the naming rights to the new stadium; issuing revenue bonds; and getting TV contracts to air UH games live in late-night slots in Mainland cities.

"If you're going to be a public official planning appropriately for the future, and think the Pac-10 might be accessible, then you have to take into consideration what size stadium you'd need," Dobelle said.

The stadium is part of a proposal by Dobelle for a West O'ahu campus that would include a new medical school and would transform Dobelle's plans for a four-year college near Kapolei into a major academic and athletic center.

Dobelle said a new stadium would replace the state-owned Aloha Stadium, which has grown old and needs millions of dollars in upgrades.

"If indeed it costs as much to repair it as to build a new one, then it might make sense to sell it, let a private developer take it down and resurrect it as a tax-producing property," Dobelle said.

The idea would still need support and money from the Legislature, Dobelle said.

Ed Hayashi, Aloha Stadium manager, said he supports Dobelle's idea. Hayashi said the stadium has about 15 years of use left in it before a major investment will need to be made. Its last major renovation ended about six years ago.

The university has a contract with the stadium to pay it a percentage of game-ticket sales. The loss of that income could be a financial blow and a threat to the stadium's future.

But Hayashi said he thinks the stadium still could be profitable with income from the flea market, Pro Bowl, concerts and other events.

"It would be tough, but I think we could still make it," Hayashi said.

UH athletic officials welcomed the idea of a new stadium.

UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida and football coach June Jones said yesterday that they discussed the idea of a new stadium with Dobelle after he arrived in Hawai'i earlier this year.

The 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium opened in 1975. Major renovations were completed six years ago. Advertiser library photo • April 21, 1998

"I think it's a great idea. When you look at Aloha Stadium, there are some repair and maintenance issues out there," Yoshida said. "It's a matter of people getting adjusted to it (the location). If you look at West O'ahu, it already has a soccer complex and a regional park."

Yoshida said a 60,000-seat stadium would need about 12,000 parking stalls.

Dobelle said he is hoping to ferry fans to the games from remote parking lots to reduce the demand for parking at the stadium.

Jones said the school's contract with Aloha Stadium is not in the university's favor. Last year, the school paid about 6.5 percent of the $3.2 million it collected to the stadium for rent.

"Unfortunately, we pay a lot of rent," Jones said. "That is going to affect our ability to make it financially in the future."

Jones said he was excited about the prospect of a new stadium.

"Any time you do something first-class like this, it projects a certain image," he said. "It will attract different possibilities."

Reach Frank Cho at 525-8088 or fcho@honoluluadvertiser.com.