Bruno Mars was a huge success, and there’s more music to come. The Eagles, Guns N’ Roses, and Cardi B will be next. For sports fans, the LA Rams in a preseason game. So what does it take to keep the Aloha Stadium facility running?
Aloha Stadium is over 40 years old and officials like Senator Glenn Wakai support tearing it down for a smaller, multipurpose facility that can provide more opportunities.
Senator Wakai tells us that Aloha Stadium in its current state is safe, but it’s costing millions each year to maintain the structural integrity. Aloha Stadium officials ask for $20 million a year for the upkeep, but Senator Wakai says legislators give the bare minimum of about $7 to $8 million.
The plan back in April 2017 was to build a new facility in a u-shape that seats 30-35 thousand people, expandable to 40-thousand with temporary seating. Officials have said it will be less expensive than maintaining the existing facility.
“We ultimately need to tear down Aloha Stadium and build a multipurpose facility so that we can do more than just play football games. We need a facility where we can play rugby and soccer; just a multitude of different opportunities that we can’t do at the stadium at the moment,” said Senator Wakai.
There’s potential that the new stadium could attract more major events, which are needed. Senator Wakai says partnerships like a preseason deal with one of the best teams in the NFL are great for Hawaii’s tourism and for the stadium.
“This is going to be the biggest payday for the Aloha Stadium next year. Going back to the Pro Bowl, that really was a deal that benefited the NFL but this Rams partnership is truly a partnership. Aloha Stadium will make concession sales, they’ll make parking sales and money off ticket sales. The NFL scooped all of that from the state of Hawaii and asked an addition for $5.9 million,” said Senator Wakai.
