Does Miss Universe
pageant violate
city rules?

'Commercial activities'
are not permitted at UH's
Stan Sheriff Center

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Mayor Jeremy Harris is instructing city attorneys to determine whether the state violated a city ordinance by allowing the Miss Universe pageant to be held at the University of Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center.

The problem is over whether the pageant can be considered a "commercial activity," which is not allowed under the planned review use permit issued to the university by the city's Department of Land Utilization. That restriction was placed on the university when the city approved the building of the special-events arena.

However, Joe Blanco, part of the four-member committee appointed by Gov. Ben Cayetano to bring the pageant to Hawaii, maintains no commercial activity is being held at the arena because no one is making a profit.

Blanco, also a member of UH's governing Board of Regents, added that the university under the planned review use permit is allowed to let nonprofit entities use the facility.

He said the pageant's sponsor is the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, a not-for-profit entity. "It would be hard for people to say that this would be a commercial venture for the university."

Harris told the Star-Bulletin that he was made aware of the problem only yesterday and immediately asked city attorneys to investigate the matter. Harris said he also informed Cayetano of the problem today.

Harris said he doesn't believe this "technicality" should prevent the Miss Universe Pageant, slated to be held May 12 and televised worldwide, from being held at the UH facility.

"I am convinced that there is some legal way to do this," Harris said. "It would be foolhardy to hold up the pageant. I think the pageant ought to go on."

Harris said the issue was raised during city budget hearings by Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim several weeks ago.

Kim told the Star-Bulletin that city officials then said that the Neal Blaisdell Center and Arena for a while had been considered as a site until the state decided to go with the Stan Sheriff Center because there would be no cost.

However, Kim pointed out that both the city administration and the City Council sought certain restrictions be placed on the center's use, mainly because of concerns raised by residents over traffic. Kim said only university activities are supposed to be held at the special-events arena, and the university is not supposed to hold two major activities there at the same time unless a waiver is requested in advance.

Kim said that it's up to the Harris administration to determine what should be done and grant the pageant organizers a waiver if one is needed.

"Ultimately, the state could exempt itself from all restrictions by going to the Legislature," she said.

Blanco said that the UH Board of Regents endorsed the use of the Stan Sheriff Center to host the Miss Universe Pageant and the university is not going to receive any money except reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, such as electricity and air-conditioning costs.

He said the feeling has always been the special-events arena was paid for by taxpayer dollars and the Miss Universe Pageant was "a great way to promote Hawaii."

Blanco said the question of commercial-activity use by the university was never brought up. He said he interprets "commercial activity" as anything being pushed by a for-profit promoter.

Cayetano has approved $3.3 million to host the two-week event.