SHOW 'em the money. Stadium delay
sets back equity plansUniversity of Hawaii officials did just that when soliciting bids for the new Wahine softball stadium, but some 20 companies replied, "Show me more."
Apparently, $700,000 isn't nearly enough to level the playing field when it comes to building the new facility. The lowest bid came in at around $1.2 million.
"No pun intended, but we weren't even in the ballpark," said Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, UH assistant athletic director who oversees softball. "I'm not completely surprised, knowing what it costs to design a project like this and to get exactly what we want.
"But the project is not dead. We'll keep moving forward with it. We'll eventually find the additional money. We'll do something with the $600,000 that we do have and to start on the first phase."
Phase I calls for the construction of a 1,200-seat stadium with the field enclosed by an eight-foot padded fence. All seats are raised and covered by a roof; half of the 400 "prime" seats behind home plate have arena-style backs.
The main goal is to enclose the field so that admission can be charged. Besides creating another revenue-producing sport, charging admission is one of the requisites to host NCAA Division I postseason play.
After paying consulting fees, there is a little over $600,000 remaining to pay for construction. Initially, $300,000 was appropriated from the 1995 state Legislature and another $400,00 from the athletic department's reserve fund.
Now, it's become a case of take the money and run. If the legislative funding is not used, it will revert back to the state's coffers and never be seen again.
At least not in the form of stadium seats. Unless they plan to use koa benches.
BUT seriously, the Wahine softball stadium is the first priority under Capital Improvements in the UH athletic department's gender equity plan. The current field seats 500 on temporary bleachers with no means of charging admission, and with limited space for broadcast and print journalists.
Considering the top softball facilities around the WAC, Hawaii cannot be caught between the haves and have-nots. If the program is to continue to be competitive nationally, this stadium is a must-have.
Fresno State has a $3.2-million facility considered state-of-the-art. San Diego State is upgrading its facility and even cash-poor San Jose State is breaking ground soon for its stadium.
Now, more than ever, Hawaii needs every edge it can find to help recruiting. Just ask Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji what the Special Events Arena, filled with 10,000 fans, has done to raise the awareness level of his sport nationally as well as raise the caliber of recruits wanting to play there.
WAHINE coach Bob Coolen had hoped to host a ground-breaking ceremony in May when this season was pau. Instead, Coolen will likely be digging around for ways to raise the necessary money.
"The softball booster club has come up with some ideas that should help raise funds," said Moniz-Kahoohanohano. "And we may have to scale back on some of the things we wanted initially, maybe go to 900 seats with just some of the seats covered.
"What's too bad is, if we had known we needed $1 million before putting it out to bid, we would have sought that additional money ahead of time."
Any delay in this project sets off a reverse domino effect in other gender equity plans. The softball revenue was to go toward Phase II -- concessions, training room, upgraded scoreboard, renovated dugouts and a batting cage with lights.
Part of the revenue is also intended for a $1.3-million stadium for the women's soccer program. This also delays the much-needed move from Roosevelt High for the state girls softball tournament.
It's going to take money now to make money later. The future doesn't get any cheaper.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.