Officials outline Aloha Stadium dismantling, 31,000‑seat rebuild and major infrastructure costs as financing questions remain

Michael Yatau, executive director of the Aloha Stadium Authority, told senators at a March 11 joint informational briefing that dismantling of the condemned Aloha Stadium has begun in earnest and that the Authority is moving toward executing the agreements needed to build a new stadium and mixed‑use district.

Yatau said crews started pulling apart parking spirals and other structures in mid‑February and that the dismantling phase is expected to continue through November 2026, weather permitting. He described the program as a transition from an operational authority to a land‑development organization and introduced a board reshaped for development work.

"We also started the actual dismantling of the stadium," Yatau said, describing a phased pull‑away approach rather than an implosion. He added that the Authority has worked to preserve site revenue streams — including swap‑meet income that averages about $150,000 a month — while moving staff and operations off site during construction.

The design and development team presented a schematic for a base stadium of about 31,000 seats with structural provisions to expand the north and south end zones to roughly 38,000–40,000 seats later if demand and financing permit. Stanford Carr of the developer team described the stadium concept and an adjacent entertainment promenade called "Aloha Live," which would integrate pre‑ and post‑game venues, club spaces and cultural attractions.

"We are currently planning what we call the base stadium for 31,000 plus or…