A Hawaii state senator recently offered his support for demolishing Aloha Stadium, and replacing it with a modern multipurpose facility.
Aloha Stadium originally opened in 1975 and remains active for a variety of events, including concerts, the University of Hawaii at Manoa football program, and the annual Hawaiʻi Bowl. Its long-term future has been under debate in recent years, however, as some officials contend that the high cost of maintaining the aging stadium makes a modern replacement a more viable option going forward.
In recent comments, Hawaii state senator Glenn Wakai expressed support for demolishing and replacing Aloha Stadium with a new and versatile facility. A concept released in April 2017 called for a potential replacement to be designed as a multipurpose venue, with a capacity expandable to 40,000 for larger events. More from KHON2.com:
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.
Aloha Stadium was a long-time home for the NFL Pro Bowl, which has been played at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium in recent years. The NFL is set to have a presence at Aloha Stadium next year, however, as the venue will host one preseason game for the Los Angeles Rams.
Image courtesy Aloha Stadium.
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