Feature story on Aloha Stadium

HR = Hawaii Reporter

HR Note: "The cost of building the brand new stadium in Halawa – located 10 miles from the old Honolulu Stadium or "Termite Palace"— was $37 million, a price tag that seemingly no longer exists either."


HR Note: "After consideration of building a new stadium proved to be too costly – a price tag of over $500 million was suggested – the state decided that the best way to keep the University of Hawaii and other tenants such as the NFL Pro Bowl happy was to begin a long-term renovation project. The ultimate cost for that ongoing project over the long haul is reported to be $185 million."


About spending $185 to renovate Aloha Stadium over 20 years, Hawaii state Comptroller Russ Saito said:
"After the current and planned projects are done, the stadium should last at least another 20 years. At the halfway point of that 20 year span, another engineering study can be done to see whether the stadium should be further renovated to extend the life for another 20 year, or be replaced by a completely new stadium." (HR)


HR Note: "New renovations to Aloha Stadium, which is the state's largest sports facility, include a fresh coat of dark green paint to the outside of the stadium, plus roof covering improvements, structural health and safety improvements, and a new video scoreboard. The old SONY Jumbotron is gone – the new video scoreboard will be unveiled at University of Hawaii football Media Day in August. Saito says the total cost of the completed and ongoing projects ongoing since March 2008 is roughly $51 million."


About the number of jobs that the Aloha Stadium renovations is creating, Saito said:
"We estimate that 716 direct and indirect jobs have been or will be created by the projects." (HR)


HR Note: "The last phase of the roof replacement, slated for next year, will cost about $14.5 million; work to complete the Health and Safety improvements could cost three to four million dollars; and the field upgrade and replacement of the field turf next year is estimated at $2.5 million, Saito says."


About how future stadium renovations include replacing the seating bowl and seats, adding elevators, adding restrooms, and upgrading concessions, Saito said:
"Costs are preliminary and will be firmer when the budget for the next biennium is submitted the legislature." (HR)


About how the stadium is in good shape, Saito said:
"The stadium has held up well, considering its all steel construction and the state's corrosive salt air and consistent trade winds. It has been refurbished once before to mitigate the effects of the corrosion.  The current and planned projects will make it like new again." (HR)


http://boss.hawaiireporter.com/from-termite-palace-to-multi-million-dollar-aloha-stadium-university-of-hawaii-about-to-kickoff-football-season-amid-185-million-renovations/