Posted on: Friday, June 11, 2004

Hawai'i moves step closer toward keeping Pro Bowl

Advertiser Staff

A multi-year deal that would keep the Pro Bowl in Honolulu through 2009 moved one step closer yesterday when a key Hawai'i organization voted to continue negotiations with the NFL.

The Hawai'i Tourism Authority met yesterday at the Royal Kona Resort on the Big Island and granted state negotiators permission to continue talks and sign a contract with the NFL once terms are put into writing, said Rex Johnson, the HTA executive director.

"We don't have a contract document," Johnson said. "We have concepts. We're trying to move forward to get a contract document finalized."

A tentative five-year deal was reached in February to keep the game in Honolulu, which has hosted the all-star football game for the past 25 years.

Johnson said negotiators hope to finalize a deal as early as next month, "if we can get all the legal details worked out." Johnson said he's scheduled to talk with NFL attorneys next week.

Last month, the 32 NFL owners unanimously voted in favor of keeping the Pro Bowl in Honolulu by granting the league permission to finalize a contract.