HONOLULU (KHON2) — Aloha Stadium’s demolition is officially authorized, thanks to the execution of two agreements between the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and Aloha Hālawa District Partners.
The agreements were announced on Sept. 25, and permits construction to start once the demolition is concluded.
Aloha Hālawa District Partners, through the agreement, gets the rights and obligations to dismantle the existing stadium and construct the new site before returning the property back to the care of the state.
Per the agreement, the dismantling is set to take approximately one year, with two and a half years set aside to complete construction.
The current stadium is set to be dismantled completely by July 2026, with the new facility expected to open in March 2029.
Following the opening of the new facility, there will be a 30-year operations and maintenance term, as outlined in the agreement.
The state of Hawaiʻi is contributing $350 million toward construction and demolition costs for the stadium.
Current plans outline 22,500 seats in the new stadium, with the ability to expand should the project receive additional funding. There are also plans for 10 luxury boxes and the capacity to host multiple events, such as soccer, rugby, concerts and more.
“These agreements are a big step forward for Hawaiʻi,” said Eric Fujimoto, chair of the Stadium Authority. “We hope generations of those with Hawaiʻi in their hearts will come here to dream, celebrate and make lasting memories at the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District.”
For the University of Hawaiʻi, the development provides plenty of optimism to their athletics department.
“Today’s agreements are an encouraging milestone for the new Aloha Stadium and for the future of UH Athletics,” said UH Athletics Director Matt Elliott. “While there is still much work ahead, the progress being made gives all of us reason to be optimistic. We are excited to see momentum building and remain committed to doing our part to bring this long-awaited vision to life.”
There are still remaining agreements to be finalized, which relate to the real estate aspects of the district and are anticipated to be finalized in the next few months.
For more information on the new stadium, visit their website.