HONOLULU — A newly released report says Hawaii’s Aloha Stadium is a liability and potentially dangerous to public health and safety.
A structural review of the 43-year-old building was submitted to the Aloha Stadium Authority by a consultant who is recommending a new stadium be built as part of a redevelopment plan, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
According to the report, “inspections have identified pieces of the building that have actually fallen into public areas of the facility (fortunately the stadium was vacant at the time) bringing to reality the venue’s immediate and long-term risks to fans, the Stadium Authority and the State of Hawaii.”
The 50,000-seat stadium opened in 1975 with a $37 million tag. Since 1990, nearly $88 million has been spent on construction at the state’s largest entertainment facility.
The Aloha Stadium Conceptual Redevelopment Report says the state faces $420 million in health and safety repairs, disability improvements and bringing the stadium to current code requirements.
Consultants say it would be cheaper to open up a new, smaller facility for about $325 million.
The proposed facility would be a U-shaped bowl open at the north end, which planners said would, “provide a ‘window’ into the stadium from the adjoining ancillary development and stadium plaza, emphasizing the synergy between the new multi-use venue and the adjacent mixed-use district. The open end of the stadium would feature a sloping grass berm, where spectators could casually watch events in a picnic-like atmosphere.”
The Aloha Stadium Authority is now expected to help the governor and the Legislature determine the future of the stadium and start the process of soliciting proposals from prospective developers.