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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, May 22, 2010

UH may score big bucks in stadium parking auction



By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Most season-ticket holders for UH football are eligible to bid on about 1,700 parking stalls at Aloha Stadium, including 800 prime spots in the "inner circle."

ADVERTISER LIBRARY PHOTO | Oct. 10, 2009

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The University of Hawai'i said it hopes to realize as much as $600,000 from the first online reverse auction of the parking passes it controls at Aloha Stadium this football season.

The auction of what is expected to be approximately 1,700 stalls — including 800 in the coveted "inner circle" on the mauka side of the stadium — will be open to most season-ticket holders and is set to start at 8 a.m. June 7 and continue until June 11 or the supply of passes is exhausted, UH said.

Bidding will start at $400 for the inner circle, $350 for the Koa lot and $300 for the Kamehameha Highway lot and decrease by $50 per day until the allotment is sold.

The new online format came after complaints about the way sales were handled by mail last year. There was an outcry when some fans, who mailed in checks and credit card numbers, either didn't receive passes or weren't told until just before the season opener whether they would be receiving passes.

UH athletic director Jim Donovan said that "dozens, if not hundreds, of households were not able to get parking passes" last year as demand overwhelmed supply. He said the online method will provide "transparency" and allow bidders to know instantly whether or not they have secured one.

The stadium has approximately 8,000 stalls, of which UH controls passes for about 2,900. And there are 5,900 season ticket accounts, Donovan said. The stadium holds on to about 5,000 stalls for game-day public parking at $5 per game.

Except for donors who buy packages through 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue, the athletic booster club, parking passes are not included with season tickets.

Last year, UH said, it made approximately $325,000 from stadium parking passes and hopes to realize as much as $600,000 this year, depending on what price level they sell at. UH said the proceeds will benefit the Koa Anuenue Scholarship Fund and are tax deductible.

The Warriors have seven home games this season, starting with the Sept. 2 season opener against Southern California.

UH is forecasting as much as a $2 million deficit for the fiscal year that closes June 30.

Entry to the auction will be through http://parking .KoaAnuenue.org and will be made available to season ticket holders with two or more seats. Limits will be placed on the number of passes that may be purchased by ticket holders, depending on how many seats they have.

Further information is available at the athletic department's www.hawaiiathletics.com website, or through the UH ticket office (944-2697) or Koa Anuenue (956-6500).

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