The Aloha Stadium Authority will amend its advertisement for the vacant position of stadium manager, striking the salary range part of it in order to attract the best candidates possible.

The board also voted at its monthly meeting yesterday to request legislation be passed to give the Stadium Authority control of setting the new manager's salary.

The position has been vacant since longtime manager Eddie Hayashi retired in October 2005.

The vacancy has been advertised in both Honolulu daily papers, with the salary range capped at $81,463. Yesterday, board member Ken Marcus said publishing such a limit might discourage viable candidates from applying, and he asked if the salary portion of the ad could be taken out in future notices.

That led to discussion about why the salary is capped in the first place, and state comptroller Russ Saito said it is written into state law. He added the only way to change it would be through legislative action.

The board then approved a formal statement in which it will "request (the Department of Accounting and General Services) to prepare legislation to permit the board to pay a salary to the stadium manager at an amount commensurate with the responsibilities assigned by the board."

Marcus said offering potential flexibility on the manager's salary can allow the board to attract more and better candidates.

"The stadium is at a point now where it is about to take on significant projects," said Marcus, citing major repairs and possible ventures into luxury boxes and/or expansion. "(Not having a salary cap) might give us access to people who have experience to do that, to help us understand what's out there. Right now (the cap) is so limited, people might not be interested in the job."

Marcus said the proposed legislation might fail to become law, and that the salary range may stay the same even if it does. But he said at least now the applicant pool might be broadened.

"If we don't listen to people experienced in the market, we won't know what the market is," Marcus said.

Four people have applied for the position, and the stadium has received two phone inquiries.

An ad with the salary range included already has been submitted to the national stadium managers newsletter, which is due to be published soon.

The application deadline has been moved back to Feb. 15.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.