"As our state's largest outdoor arena, Aloha Stadium allows residents and visitors to enjoy a wide variety of events," Lingle said in a press statement. "We need to take a preventive approach when it comes to safety repairs and maintenance.

"This project will not only address several short-term maintenance issues, but also lay the groundwork for additional improvement projects over the next few years designed to keep our stadium safe for spectators."

The multipurpose facility was built in 1975 and is home to University of Hawai'i football games, high school games and the Pro Bowl, and has been the site of numerous concerts.

Improvements covered by $12,430,000 in funding will include cleaning and recoating corroded steel surfaces; reinforcing the pedestrian concourse bridges to minimize vibration; installing additional handrails in stair walkways to reduce the risk of injury; improving electrical and other existing utilities; and performing preventative structural upgrades and other renovations needed to ensure the stadium's structural certification.

Design and planning for this phase of improvements is in progress.