UH Will Play at Ching Field - 100% Capacity Being Allowed

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kapakahi
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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

Post by kapakahi »

SundayJam wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 3:12 am Aloha Stadium was an engineering disaster. It was built to accommodate both baseball and football. Did the Islanders even ever play there? It has never been easy to get to.

Why not pack a small stadium that is a lot easier to get to?
Definitely not an engineering success....but the State's lawmakers & politicians just got complacent and took no action.....just simply relying on it's continued existence well beyond it's intended shelf-live....now for over 45 years....before taking timely action for replacing it....which should have started well over a decade ago. Still the Aloha Stadium served the State well throughout it's years and provided the State with more than just a facility to play baseball and football games.

BTW, the Islanders played at Aloha Stadium from the mid-70's (when it opened) through the late-80's. Also, the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals played a MLB regular season series at Aloha Stadium in the late-90's.

The Aloha Stadium also provided the State with a large venue that was able to host major concert performances by numerous world-class entertainers (Frank Sinatra, Boston, The Beach Boys, Heart, Eagles, Stevie Wonder, The Police, ZZ Top, Billy Joel, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Estefan, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, U2, Pearl Jam, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Bruno Mars, etc.) which otherwise would not have been accommodated in the State....by either the 8,800-seat Blaisdell Center Arena nor the 10,300-seat Stan Sheriff Center (when it opened in 1994).

BTW probably a good guess that the traffic congestion near and around Lower Campus on game-day won't be make it any easier than getting to Aloha Stadium.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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SundayJam wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 3:12 am

BTW probably a good guess that the traffic congestion near and around Lower Campus on game-day won't be make it any easier than getting to Aloha Stadium.
if games have an earlier start, say 4 p.m. or even earlier, i think a lot of townies and east siders who now drive to halawa would switch to busing to get to ching field. i know i would. the key to increase bus use is an early start to assure bus patrons that they can still get on regular route buses to return home or to their car at a park and ride.

i know townies that use the bus to get to the halawa games and most of the time they leave in the fourth quarter to be sure that they are on a return bus. that's no fun.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

Post by kapakahi »

st808 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:49 am
kapakahi wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:17 am
BTW probably a good guess that the traffic congestion near and around Lower Campus on game-day won't be make it any easier than getting to Aloha Stadium.
if games have an earlier start, say 4 p.m. or even earlier, i think a lot of townies and east siders who now drive to halawa would switch to busing to get to ching field. i know i would. the key to increase bus use is an early start to assure bus patrons that they can still get on regular route buses to return home or to their car at a park and ride.

i know townies that use the bus to get to the halawa games and most of the time they leave in the fourth quarter to be sure that they are on a return bus. that's no fun.
FYI that the Lower Campus traffic circulation and parking structure wasn't designed to accommodate the queueing & staging for many larger passenger buses....so most buses will probably need to park alongside or near Dole Street (and/or maybe even within the Upper Campus) which could worsen the traffic queueing (stacking) of other vehicles entering & leaving the Lower Campus (as well as the Upper Campus) from and to Dole Street which would still mean that most bus riders will probably still have to walk a similar distance to and from Ching Field like they experienced at Aloha Stadium.

Also having the H1 Fwy right next to Lower Campus actually limits the amount of available queueing (stacking) space on nearby surface streets where vehicles can wait....so would also expect H1 traffic to be congested too.
Last edited by kapakahi on Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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An unfortunate thing about UH parking for large events with reference to campus parking, surface streets and the freeway and use of buses in addition to cars is that the parties involved in the planning and discussion to mitigate problems and to improve traffic flow, would involve discussions between UH, City and State officials. Yes. These same bureaucrats who have mucked up life on Oahu for eons and who many times don't get along and want to share their toys. We all know how much fun that's going to be.
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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

Post by kapakahi »

Yup....UH will probably be required to have a traffic consultant prepare a Traffic Study for submission to the City Department of Planning & Permitting (DPP) in order to get City staff concurrence approval.....as well as get concurrence support from both the McCully/Mo'ili'ili and Manoa Neighborhood Boards.....in order to obtain approval issuance of a City Council resolution typically associated with a Plan Review Use (PRU) Permit application in order to obtain the City's approval for the construction permits for the proposed Ching Field improvements and its revised/updated usage.

Luckily other State agencies (other than possibly DOT because of the H1 Fwy) shouldn't be involved.....though the general public is allowed to submit written testimony for the City Council's review & consideration in reviewing the PRU Permit application.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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My3Cats wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:57 am An unfortunate thing about UH parking for large events with reference to campus parking, surface streets and the freeway and use of buses in addition to cars is that the parties involved in the planning and discussion to mitigate problems and to improve traffic flow, would involve discussions between UH, City and State officials. Yes. These same bureaucrats who have mucked up life on Oahu for eons and who many times don't get along and want to share their toys. We all know how much fun that's going to be.
At many mainland stadiums in the city, parking is many blocks away, with parking on campus reserved at a hefty premium price. When we went to Michigan Thousands of fans parked and walked a mile to the stadium.

BTW parking was upped to $9 at Aloha Stadium this season (for those able to go) and will go up $1‐$2 every year moving forth

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

Post by bigislandkurt »

Plenty parking lots all around UH, including the parking structure. Even neighborhood folks and businesses might be able to capitalize by renting out their driveways or parking lots on game day. Plenty options to work with at UH regarding parking. It's not like we talking about 50k fans. One thing that UH will have to figure out is tailgating. GOTTA have tailgating ...and you know gotta have beverages. I'm sure they are working through all of this because no tailgating would be a major bummer for plenty fans willing to attend. Maybe given the limited space, the "walk up" fan is more of the target during the Ching Field era. If you like tailgate, buy the PPV and call your friends. I think that a packed Ching field on game day is going to be loud and fun. Campus in general is going to be lively and active on game days. Great time to showcase the campus...food trucks....pop ups....free advertising for UH Manoa. Almost every concern that has been brought up can certainly be addressed. UH at Ching for the next 3-4 has great potential all around. I'd still play night games though. The sun would be brutal in the daytime with no covering.
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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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Hey, I mostly rode a bike to UH when I went to school there. There's also plenty of parking at the Diamond Head campus. Shuttle buses could run a quick...what...5 minute run from there? Anyway, with attendance low...and with more entertainment venues nearby...on campus and just off...it would seem to be win/win.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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bigislandkurt wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:07 pm Plenty parking lots all around UH, including the parking structure. Even neighborhood folks and businesses might be able to capitalize by renting out their driveways or parking lots on game day. Plenty options to work with at UH regarding parking. It's not like we talking about 50k fans. One thing that UH will have to figure out is tailgating. GOTTA have tailgating ...and you know gotta have beverages. I'm sure they are working through all of this because no tailgating would be a major bummer for plenty fans willing to attend. Maybe given the limited space, the "walk up" fan is more of the target during the Ching Field era. If you like tailgate, buy the PPV and call your friends. I think that a packed Ching field on game day is going to be loud and fun. Campus in general is going to be lively and active on game days. Great time to showcase the campus...food trucks....pop ups....free advertising for UH Manoa. Almost every concern that has been brought up can certainly be addressed. UH at Ching for the next 3-4 has great potential all around. I'd still play night games though. The sun would be brutal in the daytime with no covering.
PPV becomes that much more important under this scenario, indeed. real tailgating may not be an option for most, so I hope some of the surrounding businesses capitalize on the opportunity and have great game day specials on food and drinks. I bet whatever that bar is that took Magoo's old spot is chomping at the bit for on-campus football...

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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An on campus stadium would be a logistical nightmare for the surrounding area if fans don't or can't adjust their gameday behavior.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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Does anyone know what the total amount of parking stalls at UH Manoa? For the mainland schools with their own stadium and arena, all parking stalls becomes game day parking. So people enter and exit all different ways. Depending on campus size, some guys would have to walk far, some would not. Maybe parking will not really be an issue for Football at Ching field.

At Aloha Stadium, it seems like everyone leaves at once. The walking distance is sort of the same no matter where you park. Just guessing, football at Ching was to happen, not all 15K cars will rush out at once. Still got to walk. If you park on the upper campus side, College of Business for example, you have not reached your car yet, at best 45 minutes later.

I think the only thing that would be "bad" would be the tailgating experience. Having tailgating where you parked, spread out at UHM, will not be the same. How many times, you go tailgating, and see your uncle that no come by too much, tailgating at Aloha Stadium too. I would hate to see that part of the local culture broken-lost, cause sometimes, people get used to the new way and no go back to what they used to do.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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Could make parking a available at UH Lab School. Also MidPac, HPU (former St Francis) & University Avenue Baptist Church (UABC) could offer parking for a fee.

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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poidog wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:42 pm PPV becomes that much more important under this scenario, indeed. real tailgating may not be an option for most, so I hope some of the surrounding businesses capitalize on the opportunity and have great game day specials on food and drinks. I bet whatever that bar is that took Magoo's old spot is chomping at the bit for on-campus football...
The Magoos/Eastside Grill site has been vacant for years. If this holds up, I could see the Pucks Alley being totally made over any become a college town venue

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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EITSwarrior wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:09 pm An on campus stadium would be a logistical nightmare for the surrounding area if fans don't or can't adjust their gameday behavior.
It is like that at every major college campus on game day. I've been to games where the tailgating starts the night before to get a good spot on campus and to beat the traffic. That's what game days are like. I've been to a USC game where we had to park at a hospital for $35. You can tell by some of the comments being made that many have never experienced an on campus game day.

You can always take uber if it's that big of a deal?

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Re: UH football games at Ching field?

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TheDuke wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:40 am
EITSwarrior wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:09 pm An on campus stadium would be a logistical nightmare for the surrounding area if fans don't or can't adjust their gameday behavior.
It is like that at every major college campus on game day. I've been to games where the tailgating starts the night before to get a good spot on campus and to beat the traffic. That's what game days are like. I've been to a USC game where we had to park at a hospital for $35. You can tell by some of the comments being made that many have never experienced an on campus game day.

You can always take uber if it's that big of a deal?
Oh I understand what its like at a major school. I was at Oregon just before Marcus got there. Thing is that here in Hawaii I'm sorry to say, fans are stubborn in their ways and don't take well to change.

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