Proposal offers stadium to UH

But state comptroller Russ Saito, who is responsible for the current $25 million repair project, said the new idea is unnecessary and would interfere with the repairs.
About how he feels the House proposal is unnecessary and would interfere with the repairs of the stadium, state comptroller Russ Saito (who is responsible for the current $25 mil repair project) said:
"The proposal ignores the fact that the stadium needs more money for ongoing maintenance. This bill offers to channel more money to the UH athletic budget but offers no compelling argument why it would succeed." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The idea is being fought by the administration of Gov. Linda Lingle but is backed by Tony Guerrero, a former Stadium Authority board member, who is vice chairman of First Hawaiian Bank and chairman of the UH sports booster organization Koa Anuenue. Guerrero said the corporation would create a new funding source like the UH's research corporation, which would "operate, maintain, manage and improve Aloha Stadium." Extra money made from the stadium could go to the UH athletic department, Guerrero said. House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro said he liked Guerrero's idea."

Critical about House Bill 2429, saying the "whole idea makes no sense", Stadium Authority member Marcia Klompus said:
"They talk about having sky boxes and selling the sky boxes, but you can't have sky boxes until you fix the stadium. There is no common-sense reasoning to the whole thing." (HSB)

Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan said:
"We want to remind everyone that only 13 percent of the stadium's $9.4 million in revenue is generated by the University of Hawaii." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The swap meet, carnivals, concerts and other events generate the rest of the money, he said. UH officials also testified against the bill, but Oshiro said the school was interested in the money the stadium could generate."

About what UH officials want the money from the stadium but don't want to maintain it, Oshiro said:
"They didn't want the burden of the cost of maintaining, improving and repairing the stadium. They would be willing to take the benefits, but not the burdens." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Oshiro said he worries that unless a new source of funding is found for the stadium, it will be a continual drain to the state. He said Saito estimates that it will cost between $130 million and $150 million to fix the stadium, giving it another 30 years of life. Building a new facility would cost between $400 million and $500 million, Oshiro said. Klompus said the Legislature should figure out a different way to help the stadium."

About how the Legislature should do something else for the stadium, Klompus said:
"They should fund the repairs for the stadium, and they should fund UH. Once the stadium is fixed, then there is time for some sort of arrangement." (HSB)