The University of Hawai'i's offer to keep June Jones as football coach included a promise to work with state lawmakers toward $25 million in upgrades to Manoa's athletic facilities, from replacing the turf at Cooke Field to renovating the coaches' offices and the players' lockers and training rooms.

Poor athletic facilities have been a thorn for Jones and many of his assistant coaches and players, and were cited as one of the reasons Jones chose to resign at UH and take the head coaching job at Southern Methodist University.

UH President David McClain said he had heard some of the concerns about athletic facilities before but did not speak with Jones about the subject until Friday, when both he and UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw sought to reassure the coach that improvements were a priority.

McClain, at a news conference on the Manoa campus yesterday afternoon, said he was grateful to state lawmakers who stepped forward over the past few days and said he also had spoken with private donors interested in helping the university.

"I think it is definitely feasible for us to have a competitive Division I football program," McClain said.

Hinshaw, who described Manoa as "badly tarnished physically" in her inaugural address in November, yesterday said campus improvements are a high priority. "Repairs and maintenance, and the facilities overall on the entire campus, must be addressed for us to fulfill the mission that we have for this state," she said.

Some state lawmakers and football boosters had hoped the Warriors' stunning championship season would help steer more state money and private donations to the athletic program.

While that is still possible, the state's economic growth is slowing, and the Lingle administration and lawmakers are warning of fiscal restraint for the upcoming session.

State revenue growth is below projections and this week, the state Council on Revenues is expected to downgrade its forecast for the fiscal year. If the forecast drops, it will likely lead to restrictions on state spending that has already been approved for this year and a smaller pot of money available for next year.

New spending for UH athletics, while compelling in the afterglow of the season, will likely have to compete with other state infrastructure priorities such as public schools and public housing projects.

State Rep. K. Mark Takai, D-34th (Newtown, Waiau, Pearl City), a former UH swimmer, said over the weekend that he would talk with other lawmakers about $25 million in line-item construction money for UH athletic facilities. Several state senators also were discussing new money for the athletic department over the past few days, although at a lesser amount.

"It's been a thorn for the athletics program and for Hawai'i in general for many years," Takai said. "I think he (Jones) wanted, in this next go-round, to ensure that future players and teams do not have to go through what they went through the last few years."

Takai said he will still ask for the money. "Unfortunately, we lost Coach Jones. But, at the same time, we have an opportunity to improve our facilities," he said. "The fact that he is no longer with us doesn't mean we're not going to pay attention to the needs."

CONCERNS AIRED

In May, lawmakers questioned UH-Manoa Athletic Director Herman Frazier about the athletic facilities and other issues after Warriors quarterback Colt Brennan complained about a lack of soap in the showers, which became the symbol of the state of disrepair.

ESPN sportscasters remarked on the sorry condition of the athletic facilities during the Warriors' nationally televised victory over Boise State in November. UH students and alumni debated whether the estimated $4.5 million payout from the Sugar Bowl should go to athletics or other needs on campus.

But state House and Senate lawmakers said yesterday they were not aware of any specific requests from UH for athletic facilities used by the football team.

State Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim, D-14th (Halawa, Moanalua, Kamehameha Heights), said she asked Frazier in an e-mail in early December to list his top five priorities for the athletic department, so some might be included in the Senate's majority package of bills for this session. Kim said Frazier responded that he would get back to her, but never did. She also said she spoke with Jones about the issue and was told a UH staffer would get back to her, but never did.

Kim, who said she wants to help UH athletics, said the Lingle administration and UH have not made the budget requests. "I don't recall them ever having athletics as one of their top priorities," she said.

'A NUMBER OF ISSUES'

Voters amended the state constitution in 2000 to give UH limited financial autonomy. Gov. Linda Lingle and some lawmakers have wanted to give the university more independence and lawmakers have granted flexibility in spending on smaller repair and maintenance projects.

But the working relationship among the Legislature, the Lingle administration, the UH Board of Regents and UH administrators has occasionally been difficult and there is sensitivity over how deeply lawmakers should be involved in financial management.

"We don't want to micromanage and tell them where they should be placing their priorities," Kim said. "But when you think about it, they have dorm issues, they have a number of issues, and not to say athletics are not a priority, but we've got to balance it out."

McClain said the university chose to emphasize academics instead of facilities during lean budget years in the 1990s, and Manoa also is still recovering from the damage from a devastating flood in October 2004. The estimated repair and maintenance backlog at Manoa is $120 million.

Lingle's proposed capital improvement budget for the next fiscal year has $50 million for repair and maintenance projects throughout the UH system, including repairs to meet health and safety and code requirements. One of Lingle's budget highlights was $3.1 million to renovate the women's locker room and related areas at the Duke Kahanamoku Athletic Complex at Manoa.

MONEY MAY BE TIGHT

Lingle, in her operating budget, also recommended $27.1 million in new spending for UH security, more library staff at UH-Manoa, and to cover higher debt service, pension and health-benefits costs of university employees.

State Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), the chairman of the Senate Education Committee; and state Rep. Jerry Chang, D-2nd (S. Hilo), the chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, said they would discuss money for UH athletics in the upcoming session but recognize state money this year is tight.

Sakamoto said there has been discussions about new spending on early childhood education and repair and maintenance at public schools, in addition to UH athletics. He has even floated the idea of a general excise tax increase, pointing to public-opinion poll results in the past that show people would agree to pay higher taxes for education. He believes a GET increase should be partially offset with tax relief for the poor.

"The bigger picture is do we have enough funds to do all of the good things that we want to do?" Sakamoto asked.

Asked whether UH athletics should jump ahead of other priorities, Sakamoto said: "I think, certainly, we're not trying to make sports our god. But the public and the general feeling is that's the visible part of the university. It's one of many areas of excellence, but it's the visible part."

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.