Hawaii News Now
By HNN Staff
May 5, 2021
Updated at 7:14 a.m.
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Aloha Stadium leaders said it will likely take 20 years to finish building the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District.
About 90 people attended a virtual meeting Tuesday, in which organizers outlined their plan for the property and asked for feedback from potential developers.
Among the issues brought up was the need to install a new sewer system, which is one of the main reasons the construction timeline has been pushed back.
“We are in dire demand for some important infrastructure elements to be installed — and by that, I mean wastewater treatment on site,” said Stacey Jones, of Crawford Architects.
“The city’s plan for sewer capacity upgrades don’t meet our schedule, so we’re forced to think laterally to solve that particular program and unleash the value in this site.”
Leaders said they hope the developer, which is still awaiting selection, will be able to transform up to 1 million square feet of land every five years over the 20-year projected timeline.
So far, leaders said the development is being split into two projects: one to build the new stadium and another for the area surrounding the stadium — including hotels, retail and housing.
The state said it is planning to spend about $350 million on the new stadium.
“The benefits for this new format include expedited overall development and better full sight masterplan guidance,” said Chris Kinimaka, Public Works administrator at the Department of Accounting and General Services. “That said, the links between the two projects will be critical.”
“We’ve imagined this as a place for public recreation that can also be programmed potentially for outdoor performances that could support the entertainment functions of the stadium itself,” Jones said.
NASED said it plans to put out a request for proposals this summer.
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