Hawaiʻi’s state government is on the verge of its largest public works project ever, the new Aloha Stadium and its surrounding mixed-use area.

The stadium is only part of this multi-billion-dollar project. Appallingly, however, the public knows little about it.

The New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, which would occupy 98 acres of prime state land in Hālawa, has been shrouded in secrecy. The Stadium Authority, entrusted with overseeing the project, has failed to provide the transparency the public deserves.

The Legislature, with the constitutional authority to hold state programs accountable, must act now to bring this project into the light. The people have a right to know how their money is being spent, how their land is being used, and who will ultimately benefit from this expansive development. The best way to achieve transparency is through a public hearing that demands answers.

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The Stadium Authority has already selected a private developer, Aloha Hālawa District Partners. According to the NASED website, the development of the new Aloha Stadium will be combined with the mixed-use area into a unified undertaking, including designing, building, operating and maintaining the stadium and master planning and developing the surrounding district.  According to the NASED Project Summary (2025), revenue from the mixed-use development will subsidize the construction, operation and maintenance of the stadium. 

There have been news reports that contracts have been signed. But these contracts are incomplete. As of Oct. 11, the only contracts that have been signed are the Stadium Development and Operation Agreement and the Initial Ground Lease, which allow the dismantling of the old stadium to begin. The master development agreement and infrastructure agreement, which affect the entire project, have not been signed.

A Multi-Billion-Dollar Project

Crucial details of the project remain hidden. There are no architectural renderings of the stadium on the NASED website, no models of the mixed-use area, and the state’s request for proposal is unavailable for public review.

In cases where multiple bids are involved, confidentiality protects proprietary interests. However, with AHDP already chosen, there is no reason to withhold such vital information. Hawaiʻi residents are being asked to trust a multi-billion-dollar project they have never seen and scarcely understand.

By contrast, prior to the San Francisco 49ers building a stadium in Santa Clara, a 25-page document was issued to inform the public about the preliminary terms negotiated between the pro football team and the City of Santa Clara. Terms included the financing of the project, the length of the ground lease, and the limitation of liability of the city. The project was even put before the voters.

Not so with NASED. As the project progresses, growing criticism is hard to ignore:

· Veteran reporters are raising concerns. Dave Shapiro of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser warned in May that the project is “near a major turning point without clear answers on how much it’ll cost or how it’ll be paid.” The S-A’s Richard Borreca quipped in August that “progress must be a precious commodity, because it’s happening in tiny, expensive bites.”

· Delays are mounting. The signing of the master development agreement, expected in June, was delayed to August and still remains unsigned. The stadium’s opening date has been pushed back from fall 2028 to March 2029.

· The stadium has been downsized. Originally planned to seat 35,000, it has been reduced to only 22,500 seats — most of it bench seating — which is even fewer than the capacity of the old Honolulu Stadium. Many view this as a bait-and-switch.

· Funding issues persist. The Legislature’s $350 million appropriation expired in 2024, raising serious constitutional concerns.

· True costs remain unclear. Expensive infrastructure must be built, and taxpayers wonder if they will bear these costs or if the developer will pay.

Legislature Needs To Act

At every turn, the public has encountered omissions and half-truths, which only deepen distrust. What little information emerges raises more questions than answers. The Stadium Authority and AHDP have signed contracts to replace the existing stadium, but not for the remaining 73 acres of the 98-acre site. 

Although NASED has been touted as an economic boon, critics warn it could be a giveaway of public resources. Prime state land may be leased to the developer at a fraction of its value, while the state bears much of the financial burden. Taxpayers are left wondering if public resources are being used for the common good or to subsidize private profits.

In a democracy, the public should not have to piece together fragments of information about how their land and tax dollars are being spent. The Legislature must act now and demand a public hearing to force the Stadium Authority to explain its decisions, clarify the finances and reveal the full scope of the project.

NASED is not just another state project. It is the largest public works initiative that state government has ever undertaken, and it will reshape Oʻahu’s urban core for generations. The public deserves to know far more than the few details they’ve been given. Transparency and accountability are essential.