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Re: New Stadium

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:00 pm
by cabanalane
Serious, if "Small Boy" Chang don't get the play in the new Aloha stadium, it's going to be sad.

By that time, we would be too old to remember who to blame...

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 9:20 am
by kapakahi
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/03/ ... c592067651 https://twitter.com/StarAdvertiser/status/1633150718281412613
Gov. Josh Green simplifying Aloha Stadium P3 plan
By Andrew Gomes

Gov. Josh Green has decided to pursue an alternate path for redeveloping Aloha Stadium in which a private partner would develop and operate a new stadium wholly or largely paid for by the state.

Under the new plan, the state would contribute $400 million appropriated by the Legislature in 2022 for a new stadium along with about 25 acres of land leased to a private partner willing to design, build, operate and maintain a new stadium in Halawa for 30 years.

The envisioned change is intended to replace a long- standing plan to have a private developer design, build and maintain — but not operate — a new stadium.

Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Budget and Finance, said the change is based on recognizing that the private sector can operate such a facility better than the state in addition to more efficiently building and maintaining it.

Salaveria said the new model for redeveloping 47-year-old Aloha Stadium, which was largely condemned a little over two years ago after long suffering from rust and deferred maintenance, also was based on a new economic analysis of the best value for spending taxpayer revenue on a new stadium, which under the long-standing plan includes higher long-term costs paid by the state to a private partner earning no revenue from stadium operations.

The Feb. 16 analysis by PFM Financial Advisors LLC, a New York-based firm retained by Budget and Finance, claims that the 30-year cost to the state for a new stadium, including financing and maintenance expenses, would be $1.49 billion under the long-standing plan, or nearly $460 million more than a $1.03 billion price tag if the state had no private partner.

Salaveria said the new plan is a blend of the two scenarios with a private partner taking on more risk by essentially owning and operating a new stadium for 30 years.

“It becomes an issue on where we are putting the risk transfer,” he said.

The private sector, according to Salaveria, should be able to deliver competitive bids to design, build, operate and maintain a stadium that benefits the state, and that bidders may chip in to produce such a facility on top of the state’s $400 million contribution.

A new Aloha Stadium to accommodate University of Hawaii football, other sporting events and a wide range of entertainment has been projected to ideally be around 35,000 seats, down from the current 50,000-seat facility, which has long been the largest outdoor entertainment venue in the state.

Salaveria also said that about 73 acres of state-owned land around the existing stadium would still be offered up for private development of restaurants, retail, housing, a hotel, parking and other things expected to generate revenue for the state. This revenue, however, would flow to the state’s general fund under the new plan instead of going into a special fund that helps pay off public stadium development costs under the long-standing plan.

“The governor is not abandoning the public-private partnership (P3) model,” Salaveria said. “He is actually committed to the P3 model. We’re trying to take something that was very complex and make it simpler.”

There are concerns that the new plan will cause another long delay in replacing the stadium and might not result in a partner that sees a new stadium in Hawaii as a profit center.

Salaveria said it’s realistic to expect private-sector interest in making money off a stadium paid for by the state.

As for how soon such a request for proposals could be put out, Salaveria said it is too soon to estimate. Such an offering is intended to be made before seeking bids for developing the surrounding real estate into a long- envisioned New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District.

Chris Kinimaka, public works administrator for the state Department of Accounting and General Serv­ices, which has been leading the long-running redevelopment effort, said delaying stadium replacement bids and surrounding real estate development will increase the cost of replacing Aloha Stadium while also deferring income to the state.

DAGS has been leading redevelopment planning work for many years with a team of private consultants on behalf of the Stadium Authority, an independent state agency that long operated Aloha Stadium and is in charge of redevelopment. The Stadium Authority board has yet to meet to discuss Green’s new plan.

Claire Tamamoto, a Stadium Authority board member and president of the Aiea Community Association, questioned the wisdom of abandoning a plan that already has a lot of community input, professional work and economic analysis put into it.

“You have something in place already,” she said. “Why would you not use something in place? We’re talking about another delay. I think it’s a little shortsighted.”

Tamamoto also questioned to what degree a private stadium operator would serve public and community interests.

DAGS for many months has said it was more or less ready to issue a pair of requests for proposals to redevelop the stadium and surrounding real estate.

To date, about $25 million has been spent on the redevelopment effort, which has included land-use approvals, an environmental study, conceptual plans, feasibility studies and selecting qualified development partners.

The effort dates back more than a decade, and at one time a new stadium was projected to open this year. Some prior delays spanning several years were caused by changes imposed by the Legislature.

In September then-Gov. David Ige directed DAGS not to proceed further with the long-held plan, and he later sought to have a contractor design and build a new stadium for the state to operate and maintain.

Green took office in December, and the most recent estimated timetable projected signing development contracts at the beginning of 2024 and having a new stadium open in 2027.
My observation here (after almost 30 years of dealings with the Waihee, Cayetano, Lingle, Abercrombie & Ige administrations) is that it is highly unusual that the Director of the State Department of Budget & Finance (DB&F) seems to be taking the lead here to outline Green's stadium development plan instead of the Director of Department of Business & Economic Development (DBED) which is the legally authorized expending State agency as well as the State Comptroller for the Department of Accounting & General Services (DAGS) which was delegated as the procuring State agency (by DBED) for the $400M appropriated by the State Legislature. DB&F's role as the State's treasurer is typically limited to approving the release (allotment) of appropriated State funds upon ensuring that appropriated funds are intended to be legally expended in accordance with the funding appropriation language intent.....and definitely does NOT extend to the level of micromanaging other State agencies (like DBED, DAGS and/or the Stadium Authority).

Another observation (based on what I hear from current State government insiders) is that it seems that Green isn't so different from Ige & Abercrombie in that he seems to make unilateral decisions before consulting & coordinating with all of his own appointed directors of the involved State stakeholder agencies (DB&F, DBED, DAGS and the Stadium Authority) to get a handle & understanding of their respective roles & responsibilities....as well as from certain key State legislators (mostly Senators) and the Aiea Neighborhood Board (which includes the stadium site)....for viewpoints and input on the proposed stadium development direction change.
https://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/nco/maps/20_Aiea.jpg

This latest direction change by Green is already different from what he evidently told the Hawaii Civil Beat reporter just last week.....which is why it's probably a good assumption that these direction changes are unilateral decisions by Green (since he wouldn't have had enough time to consult nor coordinate with the involved stakeholders in just a few days). Green seems to be consulting & coordinating primarily with his DB&F Director in his decision-making process. While the approach pf limited outside input obviously worked for Green while he was the LG on pandemic-related announcements (which was in his wheelhouse of medical & public health knowledge) to gain media exposure & public popularity to get him elected as Governor, Green still probably has little-to-no experience with site developments so should probably be consulting & coordinating with others beyond his DB&F Director (who may also have very limited experience with site developments) so also probably shouldn't be so quick to publicly announce his decisions (much like Abercrombie did; but unlike Ige) before first consulting & coordinating with more experienced resources to develop a thoroughly thought-out development plan strategy.
https://ashfordwriston.com/team/luis-p-salaveria/
kapakahi wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:34 am https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/03/new-a ... ment-plan/ https://twitter.com/CivilBeat/status/1631497909542981632
Gov. Josh Green said his administration will not move forward with plans to develop a new Aloha Stadium and surrounding district via a public-private partnership because a cost-analysis indicated that such a model would put a heavy financial burden on the state.

The result could be a smaller stadium than the one with 35,000 seats that’s currently projected. Development of the parking lot surrounding the stadium site also would be pushed out to a much later date.

An analysis by Goldman Sachs, the state’s financial consultant on the stadium, indicated that taxpayers could be on the hook for an additional $400 million if the state pursues the so-called “P3” model. Lawmakers already have set aside $350 million for the stadium project and are reluctant to spend much more than that anytime soon.

“The cost of our money as we contributed to private developers would be too high,” Green said Thursday in an interview with the Civil Beat Editorial Board. “It’s just too large.

Green proposed a construction method by which the state hires a project team to design and build the stadium before operating and managing it. He said he’s cutting out the arrangements to share costs of developing the stadium with a private entity. But the management entity would still keep much of the revenue from the new stadium, Green said.

Green said he and Finance Director Luis Salaveria couldn’t accept the potential for cost overruns.

Sen. Glenn Wakai, who has been a proponent of redeveloping the stadium under a P3 model, said he was disappointed by Green’s decision. He believes the $350 million the state set aside could only buy a stadium with about 20,000 seats. He’s worried that without the private investment, the state would need to appropriate more funds for a bigger stadium.

“I’m not going to go back on my word to my colleagues here to say ‘Oh, I need x-million of dollars more.’ I’m not going to do that,” Wakai said.

Wakai said adopting a new construction model could cost the state an extra six months.

“There’s absolutely nothing advantageous for us to delay, we’ve got to get moving,” Wakai said.


The current plan, which Green is mostly ditching, was for development of the site on two simultaneous tracks — construction of the stadium and development of the surrounding entertainment district, which is now the empty stadium parking lot.

Green wants to conduct development in two phases. In the first phase, the state will spend the $350 million already appropriated to construct the stadium, then pursue development of the entertainment district.

Green said he still wants to see the area used for housing units.

Another request for proposals will go out “in the near future” under the new direction for constructing the stadium, Green said. That will include demolition of the old Aloha Stadium and construction of a new stadium, which Green described as “modest.”

“It will be smaller than some people want but at least it will get built,” he said, adding that the state could add more seats at a later date if it chooses to.
Green’s plan to delay the development of the parking lot surrounding the stadium site to a much later date would need City staff & City Council approval for waiver of City Zoning Ordinances (which IMHO based on own personal experience dealing with City staff & City Council) is highly improbable. As such, the stadium could be even smaller with the concurrent development of both the stadium structure & parking areas.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 2:14 pm
by UnBiasFan
This is all a huge disrespect for the fans that are going to die in the next five to ten years. Like one out of three of all of you hitting sixty plus are on the way out. Think how much you contributed to the program. And their gratitude is a ten year timeline for a new stadium.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:07 pm
by kapakahi
https://twitter.com/SamSpanglerHI/status/1633281643023863808

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:30 pm
by st808
unbelievable that the u.h. can expand the Ching to 15K in the same time the state can revise a revision on revising a study to replace no aloha.

use king st old stadium site for a 25K facility. buy out bowl a drone for parking and transportation center for the stadium. enough with the halawa hula bait and switch distraction.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:20 am
by My3Cats
st808 wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:30 pm unbelievable that the u.h. can expand the Ching to 15K in the same time the state can revise a revision on revising a study to replace no aloha.

use king st old stadium site for a 25K facility. buy out bowl a drone for parking and transportation center for the stadium. enough with the halawa hula bait and switch distraction.
I like the idea of making the old Bowl-o-Drome site for a parking structure, but DHHL is supposed to be close to finalizing the site for condos for native Hawaiians. Haven't heard anything else about it since a couple of articles in early 2022.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:23 pm
by bigislandkurt
Depressing.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 6:29 pm
by anykine
2027 is the current expected new aloha stadium completion date.just keeping score.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 6:28 am
by cabanalane
cabanalane wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:03 am Let's compare San Jose's new stadium. It was a dream in 2016. Ground breaking was in 2019. Projected completion date Aug 2023. It's not Hawaii, so can't compare. It's not fast-track rush project. It's just one example of a timeline.
Quoting this example. No way they can finish the aloha stadium in 4 years (2027). Unless ground breaking is tomorrow. Or are we still at the concept stage?

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 8:51 am
by My3Cats
cabanalane wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2023 6:28 am
cabanalane wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:03 am Let's compare San Jose's new stadium. It was a dream in 2016. Ground breaking was in 2019. Projected completion date Aug 2023. It's not Hawaii, so can't compare. It's not fast-track rush project. It's just one example of a timeline.
Quoting this example. No way they can finish the aloha stadium in 4 years (2027). Unless ground breaking is tomorrow. Or are we still at the concept stage?
Requests for proposals have not even gone out yet. I seriously doubt that this will get completed by 2030 even.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:11 pm
by anykine
anykine wrote: Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:31 pm 350 million to the university could turn ching field into a 30k home field advantage.remove the track and build up to the field.build 1/4 of the stadium yearly in the off season.a parking structure can be added easily with the funds.
anykine, i think so i agree with you on this idea.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:16 pm
by kapakahi
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/03/ ... -build-it/
EDITORIAL | ON POLITICS

On Politics: Enough talk, talk, talk about new stadium; build it

By Richard Borreca Special to the Star-Advertiser

What should we talk about? How about building a stadium? Instead of turning a shovel and breaking ground, we apparently adore endless debate instead of immediate construction.

For a state that has just one major university, possesses just one major athletic venue, no major professional sports team and can go years without a major national, let alone an international entertainer starring in Honolulu, Hawaii devotes months — years — to worrying about where to host whatever may someday happen.

Back before the late former Mayor Frank Fasi even was on the Honolulu City Council, he was making headlines by his alternating support or opposition for building a new stadium. From 1926 to 1975 we made do with Moiliili’s old, wooden Honolulu Stadium, which held 25,000. Despite old-timers’ fond recollections about the “Termite Palace,” the best thing about Honolulu Stadium was that it actually existed, was used and was not condemned. Today’s Aloha Stadium exists, isn’t used and is condemned.

So what to do — build a new one? How to build it, where to build it, who to build and for how much are all the questions still to be answered.

Gov. Josh Green is the person to answer the queries because his support for a new stadium has been constant.

The construction plan does not appear to be nailed down, but the project now belongs to Green, from the Jumbotron to the artificial turf.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser last week reported that a “new stadium along with about 25 acres of land (will be) leased to a private partner willing to design, build, operate and maintain a new stadium in Halawa for 30 years.” The change is intended to “replace a long-standing plan to have a private developer design, build and maintain — but not operate — a new stadium.”

Before taking office, Green said “I do intend to build a stadium … The question, of course, is what we have around the stadium. We have some financing questions that linger. There’s $350 million or so already appropriated and costs are high and the state of Hawaii has to have a stadium.”

If Green is of one mind about building a new stadium, the 76-member Legislature has at least that many opinions about building a new facility.

This is why the University of Hawaii is wise to continue work on expansion of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, to more than 15,000 seats for the 2023 football season. Although it is a small increase, the expansion is expected to cost an extra $30 million — but will allow for the apparent essential of allowing UH to play football.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:01 am
by kapakahi

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:27 am
by My3Cats
A giant black hole right here on our island!

Re: New Stadium

Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 11:24 am
by bigislandkurt
My3Cats wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:27 am A giant black hole right here on our island!
Yes, a giant, visible black hole. But here in Hawaii, there are many many many black holes that pass under most peoples noses each and every day. Aloha stadium is just the most visible. Ineptitude, corruption, and greed have cost the taxpayers in Hawaii BILLIONS over the years.