Aloha Oahu!
The National Football League is going back to Hawaii. This time it is not the Pro Bowl but rather a pre-season game that will feature the Los Angeles Rams. Stan Kroenke’s Rams management team has decided to claim the Hawaiian Islands as a marketing territory and has a deal with tourism officials in Hawaii. As part of a marketing agreement, there will be a game in suburban Honolulu at the state’s 43-year-old stadium. But an old question has re-emerged. When will Hawaii replace the stadium? In 2017, there was a warning given to state officials about the structure. The stadium, which is the home to University of Hawaii football team and little else, is nearing the end of the line according to a consultant and that is why the state needs a new stadium rather than a renovated facility. The dire warning came in a 180-page report. The stadium according to the consultant “served its useful life and is now a liability to fan experiences, a potential danger to public health and safety and a financial burden for maintenance and operations.” The consultant did make a recommendation. It would be cheaper to build and operate a new 30,000-35,000-seat stadium with the ability to expand to 40,000 seats for special events.
The stadium has become a destination for musical acts. Bruno Mars, Eagles, Guns and Roses among others. But it is an old stadium without the money making revenue streams that new stadiums have which include in stadium eateries, more concession stands and separate seating for well-heeled customers away from everyday folks. The local Stadium Authority again is trying to figure out what to do with the building, whether it should renovate it or just knock it down and replace it. The 2017 proposal included constructing a smaller stadium and having major development around the building. Standard advice.
