HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii development organization will seek $10 million in funding to hire a private company and do other work necessary for the redevelopment of Aloha Stadium, a move that sidesteps what could have been a costly halt to the project.
Following a request from the state Department of Accounting and General Services, the board of the Hawaii Community Development Authority agreed last week to authorize its executive director to request $10 million for continued work from Democratic Gov. David Ige.
Lawmakers in 2019 selected the development authority to lead the project because of the its experience in master planning and soliciting private development proposals.
The state accounting department has already spent close to $10 million on private consultants for conceptual design, engineering, environmental, legal and other work while also contributing its own staff work under the agency’s budget.
The agency estimated the additional $10 million is needed for remaining work, including completion of an environmental study, issuing a request for proposals and handing off the project to a private developer. Project managers need to finish soliciting bids from three recently selected, preferred private development partners and negotiate a contract for the winning bidder to finance, build and maintain the facility.