HONOLULU (AP) — A bill introduced at the Hawaii Legislature would broaden the powers of the state agency managing the redevelopment of Aloha Stadium.
The bill to give the Stadium Authority greater redevelopment oversight is aimed at overcoming time lost last year when lawmakers failed to agree on a measure to advance the project.
The project to revamp the 50,000-seat stadium in Honolulu is estimated at more than $300 million.
Democratic state Sen. Glenn Wakai, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the legislation would give the Stadium Authority super powers regarding procurement, permitting and other project aspects.
Redevelopment project leaders hope to produce a new 35,000-seat stadium in time for the 2023 University of Hawaii football season, but the timetable has been in doubt.
The measure would statutorily attach the agency to the Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency with broad regulatory tools for land redevelopment mainly limited to the Kakaako and Kalaeloa areas of Oahu.
Unlike a 2019 decision to have the development authority take the lead overseeing redevelopment of the state-owned stadium site, the proposed bill would give the Stadium Authority the same powers as the development authority and sole jurisdiction over the site.