Aloha was the operative word in Halawa on Tuesday.

Out with the old officially started at Aloha Stadium as destruction began for the 50,000-seat facility, which opened in 1975 and hosted its final sports event a little over five years ago.

In with the new begins in early 2029, when construction of the new stadium is expected to be completed.

The demolition work started Tuesday with a chunk from the top of the stadium being yanked off using heavy construction equipment.

It was also a big day overall for the New Aloha Stadium
Entertainment District public-­private partnership that will
develop the surrounding community with the new stadium as its centerpiece. A blessing for the project at the Stadium Authority’s new portable office spaces was preceded by significant
contract progress in the
private-public partnership, officials said.

“This morning, from
7:30 to 9:30, we completed our negotiations, in principle, for (NASED) master developer,” said developer Stanford Carr, leader of the private conglomerate of Aloha Halawa District Partners. AHDP will be responsible for the stadium, and 98 acres including the area surrounding the facility.

Plans call for developing a community, including at least 4,100 residences, two hotels, an office tower, and entertainment, retail, education and open spaces, according to the NASED website.

The master developer agreement leaves just one contract, unrelated to the stadium itself, to be completed. Two previously signed contracts are for razing the old stadium and constructing the new one.

Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. employees began the demolition Tuesday morning, using a high-reach excavator to remove the top level of one of the makai side spiral walkways. It is the first visible sign of work on the long-delayed project, which was abruptly halted in the early stages in late 2022 when then-Gov. David Ige said he wanted a more traditional stand-alone stadium built with the $350 million allotted by the state Legislature.

The $350 million went to AHDP for starter money for the stadium; the group will need to find or generate other funding for the rest of the NASED project, which is expected to make a greater than $2 billion economic
impact with a 20-year
development period, according to the NASED
website.

Demolition continues today, and will accelerate as more heavy equipment arrives on the site, stadium manager Michael Yadao said.

Officials expect demolition to be done by the end of the year. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2027, according to the current timeline.

The new stadium is now projected to seat up to 31,000 people, with no bleacher seating, Carr told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last month. This is an increase from a low of 22,500 seats projected last August, and Carr now foresees 28 luxury suites instead of the 10 in previous plans.

Kahu Kordell Kekoa conducted Tuesday’s blessing. “Every day is a good day to start something new,” he said. “And every day is a good day to let something go.”

Several other speakers followed, including Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who after his University of Hawaii football playing days was an assistant coach when the team changed homes from Honolulu Stadium to the brand-new Aloha Stadium
in 1975.

“Then I had the privilege to be on the headset (as color commentator) with Jim Leahey for 13 years, when the games were mostly sold out,” he said. “You could feel it. The stadium was rocking.”

Blangiardi added that he admired the courage to undertake and execute such an ambitious plan, and promised his ongoing support.

Former Stadium Authority Chair Brennon Morioka, now Gov. Josh Green’s adviser on NASED issues, said success will depend on continued collaboration of all levels of government.

Yadao emceed the event, and introduced Al Oha, an AI-generated cartoon character his wife, Chelsey, came up with to tease him for his retro-style Aloha Stadium shirt. Now Al Oha will be used to educate keiki about the history of the first Aloha Stadium and the future of NASED, Yadao said.

“Aloha means hello, aloha means goodbye and aloha means love,” said state Sen. Glenn Wakai, who represents the surrounding communities and has championed NASED from the beginning 16 years ago, when the land was acquired by the state from the U.S. Navy. “It’s going to be a place for revitalization.”

Patrick Klein, a lifelong Hawaii resident with deep ties to the local business and not-for-profit community, officially took over as CEO of Easterseals Hawaii at the start of the new year. As CEO, he’ll work closely with teams across the state to advance the non-profit’s goal of creating a more inclusive world by filling gaps in human services and empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For more than 75 years, Easterseals Hawaii has been serving keiki to kupuna with intellectual or developmental disabilities through services that include early intervention, autism services, adult home and community-based services and employment services for individuals with I/DD. 

“We welcome this exciting next chapter at Easterseals Hawaii and congratulate Patrick on his new role within the organization,” said Danielle Yafuso, the board chair of Easterseals Hawaii. “His dynamic leadership and deep commitment to our community will strengthen ESH’s impact statewide, especially during this important period of service growth and expanded support for those we serve.”

Klein joined Easterseals Hawaii in 2025 as vice president of programs, when he was hired to oversee statewide program operations and support the development of new services. With nearly 200 local employees and locations across the islands, ESH serves over 1,800 families through approximately 720 hours of care each day.  

Raised in Hawaii, Klein most recently served as chief revenue officer at aio Hawaii. Prior to that, he spent over 20 years in the local media industry including time as a vice president with Oahu Publications, Inc. Consistently demonstrating his commitment to creating a meaningful impact across the state, he has held numerous board and volunteer leadership roles, including with HUGS, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, the GIFT Foundation, Navian (formerly Hospice Hawaii) and the Hawaii Catholic Diocese. 

Andrea Pettiford, who has served as CEO since 2021, will depart the organization at the end of February to pursue an advanced clinical degree. The two-month overlap allows for a smooth transition within the organization.  

“We wholeheartedly thank Andrea for her dedication and many meaningful contributions to Easterseals Hawaii over the past six years,” Yafuso said. “Under her leadership, our staff and families have made remarkable progress, navigating historically challenging times and positioning our organization to deliver the highest level of individualized, family-centered care for those we serve.”

ESH has a nine-member board of directors, based in Hawaiʻi, many of whom have directly benefited from ESH services for their family. Members are: Alex Lim; Chad Asato, vice chair; Connie Santilli; Danielle Yafuso, chair; Doug Chin; Josh Stinson; Kellie Arakaki-Kodama; Terri Fujii, treasurer; and Tim Sakahara, secretary.  

With Manoa Valley theatrics, Elijah Ickes sprinted home on a wild pitch in the ninth inning to deliver the Hawaii baseball team a 4-3 victory over Gonzaga before 2,238 at Les Murakami Stadium.

Down 3-2 in the ninth, third baseman Tate Shimao hit a one-out single to right field.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” said Shimao, who was hitless in 13 at-bats in the first three games of this season-opening series. “My coaches and teammates trusted me, even though I was struggling, to go out there and get the job done.”

Ickes followed with a single to left.

“It was an offspeed pitch,” Ickes said. “See ball, hit ball. I was thankful to have the opportunity to pass the torch.”

The Bulldogs then summoned Frank Willius, a 6-foot-4 left-hander, to face the left-swinging Ben Zeigler-Namoa. The scouting report was Willius had a temperamental slider.

“We were expecting him the whole weekend,” Zeigler-Namoa said. “I saw (videos of Willius) multiple times. I was ready to hit. I was ready to hit the whole weekend.”

After Willius buried his first pitch, a slider, Zeigler-Namoa figured, “I was going to get a heater. And I got a heater, and hit it up the middle.”

Zeigler-Namoa’s grounder eluded the reach of second baseman Hudson Shupe as Shimao raced home with the tying run and Ickes headed to third. Head coach Rich Hill, who was coaching third, went into a prone position.

“I didn’t want Elijah to have any other thought in his mind than to getting down like I was,” Hill said.

Ickes slid safety into third, a ruling upheld following an appeal by Gonzaga.

That brought up the right-swinging Jake Redding, who transferred from Sierra College last summer. Redding’s intent was to”stay small and hit a nice line drive up the middle and get Elijah in. I was going to swing, but thankfully I saw (the baseball) off (Willius’) hand.”

Willius’ pitched bounced past catcher Luca DiPaolo.

“Coach (Hill) told me to look for the passed ball,” Ickes said, “and it was the first pitch, and the rest is history.”

Redding said: “Elijah got a good jump on it, and we scored and won the game.”

The ’Bows also won three of four to claim the series.

It was a game of redemption for several ’Bows. Liam O’Brien, who suffered arm discomfort during a recent scrimmage, allowed two hits in five scoreless innings against his former team. O’Brien pitched for the Bulldogs in 2024.

Shimao redshirted in 2025 after transferring from Cal Poly.

“Tate’s been our MVP in the fall and also in January,” Hill said. “He just went off in Japan (during an exhibition tour).”

Despite struggling in this series, Shimao is “our best option (to lead off and play third),” Hill insisted. “He stuck with it. He didn’t drag the blanket, and didn’t let it affect his defense. I’m happy for him.”

Hill also acknowledged hitting coach Dave Nakama’s contributions, particularly in video sessions, in helping Shimao, Zeigler-Namoa and several newcomers.

“He’s been a stalwart of this staff,” Hill said of Nakama. “It’s his passion. At 2 in the morning, 4 in the morning, you can probably see him on video. If he’s not on video breaking down pitchers and looking for any kind of advantage, he’ll be in the (batting) cage making guys better. He has our guys extremely prepared.”