The state announced Friday that one of two finalist teams vying to be the master developer of the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District has withdrawn.
The sudden withdrawal of Waiola Development Partners without disclosing reasons has left only one consortium, Aloha Halawa District Partners, in the race to build a 25,000-seat stadium and surrounding residential and retail facilities on the former 98-acre Halawa site of the shuttered Aloha Stadium.
The General Accounting Office and the Stadium Authority sought assurances in a news release that NASED’s request for proposals process would move forward and that the goal for opening the new stadium remains 2028.
“The RFP was designed to allow for the possibility of only one bidder and this withdrawal does not impact the ongoing RFP process,” Stadium Board Chairman Brennon Morioka said in a statement. “We plan to achieve all RFP milestones and look forward to welcoming the University of Hawaii football team and the community back to Aloha Stadium in 2028.”
The next key milestone under the RFP is the selection of a master developer in fall 2024. If the selection is successful, negotiations will take place between the state and the developer, with a contract expected to be signed in summer 2025.
The RFP calls for the state to contribute $400 million to demolish Aloha Stadium and build a new one, with the developer covering the rest of the costs. The remaining 98 acres around the stadium would be developed over decades, and the RFP calls for 4,500 housing units and 430,000 square feet of retail space. The winning bidder would also cover those costs. The state says the 99-year ground lease would theoretically give it a long-term benefit.
All of that is true, according to DAGS auditor Keith Regan, as Aloha Halawa District Partners (AHDP) remains the only candidate.
“AHDP will still be required to submit proposals pursuant to the RFP, and the state will evaluate those proposals as set forth in the RFP,” Regan said. “Proposals will need to meet the stated criteria and requirements and demonstrate that they have value to the state.”
In late March, Waiola Development Partners (WDP) and AHDP were announced as the two finalist teams in the resumed NASED competition.
AHDP is led by Development Ventures Group, Inc., Stanford Carr Development, LLC, Ameresco, Inc. and Aloha Stadium Community Development, LLC (The Cordish Company), with RMA Architects, Populous, SB Architects, Henning Larsen, Alakea Design Group and WCIT Architects on the design team, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc. and AECOM Hunt on the construction team, and Castle & Cooke Hawaii and Wilson Okamoto Corp as additional team members.
WDP was comprised of EllisDon Capital, Inc., BSC Acquisitions II, LLC and Kobayashi Group LLC as lead equity members, Design Partners Incorporated, MANICA Architecture, PA and Stantec Architecture, Inc. as design team, Nan, Inc. as construction team, and Machete Group, ES CON Sports & Entertainment, Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, SSFM International, Inc., Rider Levett Bucknall Ltd., SHADE Group LLC and PBR Hawaii & Associates, Inc. as additional team members.
The Stadium Authority is scheduled to hold its June meeting on Thursday at 8 a.m. Community members can provide testimony via email or participate remotely via video call.
