HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The recent news of the cancellation of “NCIS: Hawaii” is disappointing to fans and is dealing an economic blow to Hawaii’s economy.

Many are surprised by the cancellation.

Eugene Price, the owner of Honolulu design firm PD Technologies, says the show earned him $50,000 last year.

“Very good business. We are one of the few people they come to on a regular basis,” Eugene Price.

“We were very, very surprised. They are valuable to Hawaii; they employ so many people.”

Rachel Whitley was the Hawaii casting director for all three seasons and said she was shocked by the cancellation.

“It creates hundreds of hundreds of jobs. Not just actors, but stand-ins and stunt doubles,” Whitley said.

Hundreds of comments are pouring in online, with many confused since the show averaged more than five million viewers.

Longtime Casting director Katie Doyle says fan support and ratings are good, but more is needed.

“It’s no longer about the ratings. It’s about the money. It’s about what it costs to produce that show here,” Doyle said.

Whitley estimates CBS spent $75 million a season on ‘NCIS: Hawaii.’

It’s why other locations are competing for productions.

“We have several films that were filming already here, and all of a sudden it up and moved to New Zealand because it came too cost prohibitive,” Doyle said.

The state does offer tax incentives, but industry insiders say they still aren’t enough.

More than 15,000 fans have signed a petition calling on CBS to change its decision.

That is also likely not enough.

“It’s very sad for many of us, but it could be a wake-up call.”

Back in West Oahu, UH has selected a developer to build a state-of-the-art film studio, but it’s still years away from becoming a reality.

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Though previously open to hikers who obtained permits, the Haiku Stairs were fully closed to the public in 1987. However, some people continued to hike the stairs illegally.

In recent years, videos posted on TikTok and Instagram of people illegally climbing the stairs — and instructing others on how to get to them — made the location even more popular with tourists.

In August 2021, the Honolulu City Council voted to remove the Haiku Stairs despite resistance from some community members advocating for the structure’s preservation. Reasons for their removal included illegal trespassing on the stairs, disruptions to locals, and liability for the city.

When Hawaii officials announced the removal of the Haiku Stairs would begin in April, it set off another influx of visitors scrambling to visit them before they were gone for good.

On April 23, the Honolulu Police Department arrested five people for trespassing at the stairs and issued 11 citations, local Hawaii News Now reported. Another 60 people were given warnings, according to CNN.

The Honolulu Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for more information from Business Insider.

The stair removal project is set to cost over $2.5 million and take at least six months.

People illegally hiking the stairs have required risky rescues in the past. A woman and her dog were rescued in September after falling 50 feet while hiking the Haiku Stairs trail.

In October 2022, local outlet KHON2 reported 118 people had been rescued on the Haiku Stairs since 2010.

The soap opera surrounding Oahu’s Haiku Stairs — also known as the Stairway to Heaven —  continues even as the famed landmark is being dismantled.

On April 20 and 21, the last weekend before demolition was to begin, police say that they gave out 60 warnings to hikers, eight citations for second-degree trespass and 25 parking enforcement actions. Second-degree trespassing is a misdemeanor.

On April 23, five people were arrested and charged with first-degree trespassing, according to CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now.

The staircase was built during World War II by the US Navy for access to Naval Radio Station Haiku. Its 3,922 steps wind along a ridge to the summit of a 2,800-foot mountain in Kaneohe, affording incredible views.

It has remained a tourist attraction despite being officially closed to visitors since 1987, and its exposure on Instagram and TikTok has brought even more visitors.

As there are no official trails, thrill-seekers have cut through private property to get there.

This increase in tourism – and the bad behavior that came with it – was among the reasons cited when Honolulu’s city council voted to remove the stairs in 2021.

“Due to rampant illegal trespassing, Haiku Stairs is a significant liability and expense for the city, and impacts the quality of life for nearby residents,” councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina told Hawaii News Now.

Early this month, local authorities announced that demolition would begin on April 22, leading to the flood of hikers taking one last chance to visit the site in recent days.

“On top of (access) being illegal, it’s an active worksite,” Honolulu PD District Maj. Randall Platt told Hawaii News Now. “There’s heavy machinery. The helicopter is working back and forth so it’s dangerous for people to be up there in the first place. It’s a closed site. It’s a work environment.”

“The city was disappointed and dismayed to learn that so many individuals appear to have recklessly disregarded clear warnings that the project to dismantle the Haiku Stairs has begun, putting themselves – and, potentially, first responders – in harm’s way,” a Honolulu city government spokeswoman said in a statement.

The removal will require one 700-foot section at a time being taken away by helicopter, a process that will cost the city $2.5 million.

It has not yet been decided where the stairs will go after being removed. One local tourist attraction, Kualoa Ranch, has expressed interest in buying and housing them.

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