I caught Brennon Morioka by phone as he was walking to the day’s round of contract negotiations with Aloha Hālawa District Partners (AHDP), the development team that includes Cordish Cos., Populous and Legends/ASM Global — and is closing in on the New Aloha Stadium and Entertainment District (NASED) project.
The 98-acre NASED effort would create a new 25,000-seat stadium surrounded by mixed-use development in Honolulu on the site of the 50-year-old Aloha Stadium, which is still standing but closed in 2020. The state has contributed $350 million to the design-build stadium project, which will be home to University of Hawaii football and the Hawaii Bowl, as well as millions more for infrastructure and early design concepting.
The new stadium target completion date is still late 2028, though tariffs are unsettling budgeting and construction schedules. The original self-imposed deadline for a finalized contract was extended from June 30 to Aug. 15. Lawyers from both sides are reviewing the deal…