I've been saying this to my father every time we look out from the parking garage on the lower campus. They should use Les Murakami Stadium to make a football stadium.
Right now UH is in their first phase of T.C. Ching complex by building a concrete grandstand by the mauka(mountain) side of the field. This will be a great facility for Track and Field, Soccer and Sand Volleyball. It is scheduled to be completed this fall.
That's great! Now if UH really and I mean really wants to build an on-campus stadium, then the only logical place to put it is where Les Murakami Stadium currently sits. Now people are saying just build up on T.C. Ching Field but looking at the space around the field they would have to really make the stands steep and that will feel like hiking up those Diamond Head stairs.
I think they should use Les Murakami Stadium as the end zone stands and build grandstands on both sides. Also a short connected end zone seating where the outfield fence is. There is enough room to have a full size college football field there. The field is level so they don't have to dig or flatten the land. This is the part of reusing facilities in Manoa. Depending if Hawai'i wants bleachers instead of all seat then I could see the capacity of the stadium to be at least 30,000 with room for expansion. With only to replace the field and build two sideline grandstands the cost for the stadium should be half of what they are estimating to build a new Aloha Stadium. The range would be around $100-150 million. Can you imagine the view most fans would have on the mauka side of the stadium. Sunset over Diamond Head and the Waikiki skyline. It would be the best view of any college stadium in the country.
Now you're thinking what about the baseball team. Well there is enough room by the grass practice fields to build a more modern and efficient baseball stadium. P.K. Park on the campus of the University of Oregon comes to mind. It is a beautiful facility with about 3,500 capacity and an all FieldTurf playing surface except for the pitcher's mound. The cost was $30 million.
Ok finally the BIG question(s) Parking and Traffic. Well AD Ben Jay suggested to build more levels on the current parking structure and I agree. I mean if they can do that to Ala Moana Shopping Center why not at UH. They would also need to find places around the island like malls to agree to have fans park at a designated area and take a shuttle to and from the stadium.Park and Ride I think they call it same idea. For all the tailgaters out there they could make an area where you can have your BBQ's. It won't be tailgating but at least you can have a get together have great food and enjoy the game after.
Ben Jay is right. The students need to stay on campus to practice and compete in games. The student body will be more involved like they are at the basketball and volleyball games because they are on campus. They can study first then go to the game or at least not have to travel so far and waste time where they could be studying.
I know this won't happen anytime soon because there isn't much $$$ support in the community but once they find a private donor they need to have a plan and pounce at it.
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