Two developer groups chosen to submit new Aloha Stadium plans

HONOLULU (KHON2) — It is down to two teams of developers that could end up designing and building the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, the developers under consideration include both local and mainland firms.

Those driving past it on their daily commute may notice no changes, but Stadium Authority officials assure there is progress. The Department of Accounting and General Services Public Works Administrator Chris Kinimaka said the two teams are highly qualified and have the experience to build out and manage a project of this magnitude.

Kinimaka said, “We are very happy that we have strong local contingents partnered with team members that have worldwide experience so that should bring a good level of confidence to the legislators and the stakeholders.”

The chosen groups are the Aloha Halawa District Partners and the Waiola Development Partners. Those groups are made up of local developers like Stanford Carr Development and the Kobayashi Group. Mainland firms like Development Ventures Group, LLC. are part of the AHDP group with venues like the AT&T Park in San Francisco in its portfolio.

WT Partnership Program Director David Harris said, “Each of the priority listed offerors will be asked to come up with their own ideas to improve upon what the state has developed so far, going along with that will be some preliminary management plans, preliminary financial approaches.”

The project avoided further roadblocks after a State House proposal to transfer out funds from the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District died in the Senate.

Senator Glenn Wakai has been a supporter of the project since its inception.

“In some cases, the government shoots itself in the foot and it makes the public confidence in this project erode,” said Wakai. “But I think today was another signal that this project has a lot of pluses and is moving forward.”

Officials said the new stadium is still on track to be built by the 2028 University of Hawaii football season, but the rest of the district such as housing and retail are likely to take 20 years to be completed.

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The deadline for proposals to be submitted is July 31.