The New Aloha Stadium is officially getting bigger. Developer Stanford Carr told lawmakers this week that the planned venue in Halawa will now seat about 31,000 fans and feature 28 suites, upgraded club spaces and loge seating. The capacity bump reverses an earlier vision for a much smaller replacement and ups the stakes for the 98-acre redevelopment surrounding the stadium. State officials say the long-discussed project is finally shifting from paper plans to visible demolition and construction, even as key design and financing decisions remain on the table, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
The fresh details, including the 31,000 seats, 28 suites, individual chairs with cup holders, loge sections, an 11,500-square-foot upper club lounge and a 7,000-square-foot field-level lounge, surfaced during developer and stadium authority briefings this week, according to Hawaii News Now. The outlet also reported that officials expect the builder to deliver the stadium by March 2029, under a schedule that includes contractual penalties if deadlines are missed.
What the official project pages say
Public-facing materials for the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District still describe a smaller baseline facility. The official FAQ from NASED lists a 22,500-seat starting point and lays out a broader master plan for the roughly 98-acre site. That plan envisions about 4,100 housing units, hotels, an office tower and an entertainment and retail center, backed by roughly $350 million in state capital for the stadium phase. The FAQ also notes that the stadium and surrounding district are meant to roll out in phases, with additional amenities only arriving if more funding is secured.
Timeline and on-site work
While the design details have been evolving, the teardown of the old stadium bowl is already in motion. Officials say dismantling work is underway, and the Stadium Authority has scheduled a blessing for its temporary district offices on Feb. 17. Earlier this month, the Authority held an off-site meeting as part of its push to lock in remaining agreements and keep the project moving, Aloha State Daily reported.
Who pays and what financing is being proposed
Lawmakers have already set aside roughly $350 million for the stadium itself, and state officials continue to pitch private investment and future district revenue as the way to cover the rest of the costs. As reported by Hawaii News Now, Sen. Glenn Wakai is pushing a tax-increment financing model to help build infrastructure. Stadium Authority vice chair Andrew Pereira told the outlet that capturing future property-tax growth could cut housing prices in the district “by 30% or more.” The same reporting also pointed to separate bills that are stirring new debate over whether a casino or expanded digital-kiosk signage might be floated for later phases.
Who’s building the district
The master developer, Aloha Hālawa District Partners, is a consortium led by Stanford Carr Development with national partners that include The Cordish Company, according to the project team. The NASED team page notes that Aloha Hālawa District Partners is responsible for dismantling the old bowl, constructing the new stadium and operating it under a multi-decade agreement, while also phasing in neighborhood housing, retail and park space. Developers have said they intend to reuse portions of the existing concrete footprint to keep costs in check and to stage the work in a way that allows swap-meet operations and University of Hawaii scheduling to continue during construction.
Backstory and what changed
The new seating number represents a notable pivot. Last year’s configuration, reflected in state and developer materials and in media reporting, centered on a stadium with about 22,500 seats. Coverage by the Star-Advertiser last August highlighted that earlier capacity figure and the March 2029 target timeline as demolition and permitting steps were falling into place. The expanded capacity and enhanced amenities are now expected to reshape conversations with the university, concert promoters and nearby residents who have been tracking noise, traffic and neighborhood impacts…