Aloha Stadium Authority will meet on June 13

Advertiser Staff

CAYETANO: Confident turf will be replaced

The Stadium Authority's vote on Thursday to delay the decision to June 13 may affect the timetable to have the turf replaced by mid-August, when high school football season begins.

Stadium Authority Chairman Larry Price was vocal about his preference to grass over FieldTurf, the only alternative to sod approved by the NFL. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority on Tuesday agreed to pay up to $500,000 to replace the current surface with the artificial, grass-like turf.

"I expect that will change over the next couple of weeks," Cayetano said about the Stadium Authority's resistance to changing the AstroTurf, which still has five years left on its warranty and cost taxpayers $2.4 million to install three years ago.

Cayetano also said he wouldn't remove Price from his position as chairman, despite their differences in opinion. The governor, who appointed Price, has said he supports the decision to replace the turf to keep the Pro Bowl in Honolulu.

"I have a high opinion of Larry Price," Cayetano said.

Cayetano added he would consider appointing Price to a task force created to finding a new stadium site. Aloha Stadium has about 10 to 15 years left.