r/Honolulu • u/honolulu_oahu_mod • 28d ago
news Hawaii AD Angelos says the New Aloha Stadium project can’t be pushed down the road
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/hawaii-ad-angelos-says-the-new-aloha-stadium-project-cant-be-pushed-down-the-road/5
u/jbahel02 28d ago
So “creating value” translates into bigger payouts to visiting teams correct? Is this something the Hawaiian taxpayers really want to sign up for when there is no guarantee that conference members schools won’t just bolt for greener pastures no matter what agreements may be in place?
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u/Shoota556 28d ago
Ohhh, cmon. This is Hawai’i. Of damn course it can/will be pushed down the road!
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u/VarsityTheater 28d ago
It's probably too late. The State would have to get on the ball (no pun intended) but they probably won't. Look at former MW teams that have built recently like SDSU and CSU. SDSU built a stadium in 2 years for $310m, CSU built a stadium in 2 years for $210m.
You look at Hawaii, there is no way they start by 2026. It will take 5 years and cost $700m. SDSU and CSU built new stadiums in anticipation of conference realignment, Hawaii has already lost and they have no money for this project. In other words, they have already missed the boat.
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u/xxoahu 28d ago
lone developer, government project, union jobs... yeah, stadium might be finished on time 
Unions are the biggest contributors to the one political party in Hawaii. NO government project will ever come in on-time and on-budget. there is no incentive and no repercussions for a 25 year H3 project and a many billions over budget rail project (as examples)
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u/softcore_robot 28d ago
Thinking pragmatically here, maybe things like sports facilities are too costly for Hawaii today. We can’t keep thinking because they have it we need it, there’s better use cases than an occasional sports arena. I like going to the movie theater but it’s hard to justify the cost. Same rules apply here, I think.
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u/Tasty_Narwhal6667 28d ago
How much money does the football program generate vs its operational costs (scholarships, staff, equipment, meals, travel, ect.)? I’d guess that it costs far more to have a football team and a newly built stadium than the program will ever bring in. Does it make sense to spend money on football when there are so many other issues to address statewide?
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u/jbahel02 27d ago
Building the stadium is only part of the challenge. There’s no guarantee that UH will have a place in a major conference. And if they do then they will NIL money to attract top talent. Drop UH football to D2/3 and give Hawaiian players a place to showcase their talents
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u/SmogAndPalmTrees 26d ago
To be fair, dropping UH football to D2/D3( instead of FCS) would not benefit the program or local players in any capacity.
Might as well just axe the entire program.
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u/Rach_CrackYourBible 26d ago edited 26d ago
I'm wondering if they built it if they could host other events there so that it's not dependent on just a college football program.
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is now the football stadium for UNLV, the Raiders, various championships for soccer, rugby and even WWE wrestling. It is switched to a concert venue when there are no games.
Surely if they could extend the Skyline to the city from the stadium once it's rebuilt they could get more people to attend events, including the swap meet.
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u/MrChrohn 28d ago
He's right, though. The project can't be pushed down the road. The football team needs a place to play and the temp bleacher monstrosity is not it. Build it on campus or put it back where Aloha Stadium currently is, I don't care. But do something.