At Thursday’s Aloha Stadium Authority meeting, state officials announced they had signed key agreements with the Aloha Halawa District Partners (AHDP) consortium. This clears the way for demolishing the aging Aloha Stadium and building a new 22,500-seat venue.

Breakthrough in a long-running process

Although preliminary agreements had been reached before, they only became formal now. Officials called the moment a touchdown — a long-awaited success in a process restarted twice and a source of frustration for fans and local communities for years. The New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District (NASED) was originally supposed to be ready in 2023. COVID-19, inflation and a lack of full backing from then-governor David Ige delayed progress. Only under governor Josh Green has the project gained momentum. Extreme pressure creates better diamonds, said James Tokioka, head of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, joining the meeting online.

Two key parts of the deal are now in place: stadium construction and operations, plus a preliminary land lease. Talks are still ongoing for two other pieces — the 98-hectare site around the stadium and mutual easement agreements — but officials insist this won’t affect the stadium construction schedule.

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A new partnership model

Project director David Harris highlighted the progressive procurement method — a three-stage negotiation process with the preferred bidder. This is the true definition of a public-private partnership, he said.

Stanford Carr, president of Stanford Carr Development and head of AHDP, announced preparations for Aloha Stadium’s demolition. Fences and security cameras will be installed within two months, with deconstruction scheduled for January 2026 — possibly sooner. Hazardous materials, including asbestos panels and traces of lead paint, must first be removed.

At the same time, AHDP will begin designing the new stadium. Carr says the goal is to create an entertainment-based community — a place where residents can live, work, study and play, while the University of Hawaii Warriors get a modern home field.

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A farewell and a market move

Carr also announced A Hui Hou to Aloha Stadium — a farewell concert with local artists on October 25 at the Lower Halawa Lot. It will echo the massive gathering held 12 days after the stadium opened in 1975.

Meanwhile, preparations are finishing to relocate the popular swap meet from the stadium’s parking lots to the Upper Halawa Lot. New hangar-style structures for vendors are nearly ready, with container toilets installed centrally. The first market at the new site will be held on October 15 — the same day the second phase of Skyline Rail launches, with stops at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Kalihi Transit Center.

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Big economic potential

Stadium Authority chair Eric Fujimoto closed the meeting by citing forecasts of $2 billion in economic impact and 12,000 new jobs from NASED. We’re building a place that celebrates Hawaii’s culture and investing in the future of our state, he said.