Posted on: Thursday, July 26, 2001

Honolulu explores pro baseball's return

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mayor Jeremy Harris confirmed yesterday that the city has been involved in early discussions regarding a Triple-A baseball team being based in Honolulu.

But Harris said an announcement about the return of professional baseball to Hawai'i would be "premature," and that "it is way, way too early" for him to comment on any specific details regarding a plan.

Harris and Maryland real estate developer Mark Rivers have met three times to discuss the possibility of building a 10,000-seat stadium in urban Honolulu, which would be home to a Triple-A franchise. Both parties say the proposal still is in the exploratory phase and very little has been determined so far.

"We've just begun the second step," Harris said. "There are possibilities and clear interests, and it's worth exploring. One of our goals is to build Honolulu as a sports center and to build sports tourism, and right now I believe Honolulu is the largest market without (at least) a Triple-A franchise. There's a good deal of exciting potential, because this is an untapped market.

"We've had our third meeting, but we still need to follow up on it with analysis, to evaluate its economic impact. We're not going to do it unless it benefits Honolulu."

Rivers, 36, said he has no formal ties to Hawai'i or to minor league baseball. But he was here last week and attended the opening ceremonies of the Central O'ahu Regional Park in Waipi'o.

"I'm fascinated by the way minor league baseball has revitalized cities across the country," Rivers said. "If you look at what has happened in Sacramento, Memphis, Oklahoma City — they've basically become baseball districts. The results have been extraordinary. The ballparks have become civic jewels.

"Just imagine if that happened in Hawai'i."

Rivers envisions a new stadium in Honolulu as part of a redevelopment project that would include restaurants, shops and other retail businesses. Aside from the aforementioned cities, similar projects have found success in Cleveland (Jacobs Field), Baltimore (Camden Yards) and San Francisco (Pacific Bell Park).

"The view I have is just that Honolulu is a community that is ripe for the return of professional baseball, or at least is ripe for the exploration of a return," Rivers said. "Hawai'i has a passion for baseball, and it deserves another look."

The Triple-A Hawai'i Islanders left the state in 1987 after 27 seasons due to economic hardships. Harris says the Islanders' plight should not be used solely as a reason to doubt a new team's potential.

"A lot has changed in the past 14 years," Harris said. "The city has grown, and we're talking about a downtown ballpark this time. When the Islanders moved out to Aloha Stadium, that was devastating to them.

"There have also been changing conditions in minor league baseball in general since then. Now, they're much more involved in marketing, food, a family atmosphere. It's a whole new idea."

Rivers said he has not yet had serious discussions with Pacific Coast League officials regarding a Hawai'i franchise. But he said doubts about travel demands — the PCL has teams in Nashville, Tenn., and New Orleans — can be addressed.

"I think (the PCL) has a lot of great travel challenges today," Rivers said. "Tacoma to New Orleans is not an easy trip. And some of the travel options from Hawai'i now are better, more consistent."

The Islanders also had problems with parent clubs citing distance as a major concern. But Rivers feels long-distance relationships can work. "Florida's Triple-A team is in Calgary," he said.

Local businessman Duane Kurisu, owner of Hawai'i Winter Baseball, would be involved in the proposed Honolulu team. But Rivers declined to comment on Kurisu's role.

Hervy Kurisu, president of Hawai'i Winter Baseball, said his brother has deferred all comment to Rivers.

Rivers also would not confirm that he is a candidate to purchase the Tacoma (Wash.) Rainiers, although Tacoma reportedly is the only PCL team up for sale.

Harris said he and Rivers have not narrowed down a list of potential sites for the Honolulu stadium, but they were "looking at a footprint of about six acres."

Harris also said he has yet to determine the city's role in building or financing the stadium, but he did say that "any risk would be absorbed by the developer or (team) owner."

Harris and Rivers both acknowledged that many details and questions remain.

"They are all legitimate factors," Rivers said. "I would just tell the folks over there that we are still early in the exploration process. We'll keep exploring to see if all those challenges can be met."