Aloha mai kākou,
There's an old proverb, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." And there's that familiar line, "I'll believe it when I see it." Lately, those two feel like they were written for the ongoing saga around our beloved Aloha Stadium.
When the stadium opened in 1975, it was a point of pride. By 2020, engineers determined that the aging steel structure could no longer safely support full-capacity crowds without major and costly repairs. The state chose replacement over renovation, and for a moment, the possibilities for the 98-acre site felt wide open.
Fool me once...
Then came the waiting. And more waiting. New proposals, new partnerships, new environmental studies. Delay after delay. It started to feel like one of those high school, on-again-off-again romances, except this one came with hefty price tags, press conferences and frustration.
Aside from the swap meet and community events like the annual Girl Scout cookie distribution, Aloha Stadium just sat there, rusting away. I drove past her twice a day and it was like watching an old friend slowly disappear.
Fool me twice...
Then, finally, movement! Real movement. In February, demolition began with seats, turf, lockers and spiral walkways removed. In April, we saw the first dramatic sign that this time was different, when a large section of the upper makai-side seating was taken down.
There's no turning back now. The demolition is expected to take about 10 months. In its place, a new, smaller 31,000 seat facility, expandable to 40,000, is projected to open in 2029.
I will believe it when I see it...
The vision really does go beyond football games and concerts. Over the next 25 years, the plan calls for homes, hotels, shops and places for families to spend time together. It's ambitious and very expensive, but at its heart, it's an effort to bring life back to a place that has been sitting still for far too long.
I may not be here to see the final product, but I remain hopeful. It doesn't need every bell and whistle. What matters, and what truly would be a shame to lose, is the chance for the next generation to make memories in Hālawa the way we did for more than 45 years.
Please join us for a special trip down memory lane as we look back at Aloha Stadium's incredible history on Home is Here, Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 pm.
