02-05-2025
Cash or clutter? Naming rights bill heads to Governor's desk
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A bill passed in this year's legislative session could change the names of some of the state's most public venues.
Senate Bill 583 allows the state to sell naming rights to facilities like the new Aloha Stadium and the Hawaii Convention Center.
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Supporters said it's smart business, but critics think it's a slippery slope toward commercial clutter.
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In a move aimed at boosting revenue to pay for the operation and maintenance of the new stadium and the Convention Center, state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 583, which permits the leasing of naming rights for state-owned facilities to public or private entities, with the generated funds directed to the facility's special fund.
Current law allows for advertising indoor facilities; this legislation opens doors to exterior advertising. 'That's going to increase the value, increase the potential for us to generate revenues that are going to help support and maintain that stadium for that 30-year period of time that we're looking to have an operator run that stadium for us,' said Brennon Morioka, Stadium Authority Chair.
Supporters said this could raise a million dollars or more a year for the stadium.
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'That could be the difference between having a roof shade or not having a roof shade. Are we going to engineer all of the extras out of there? I think of having extra $30 million potentially for Stanford is going to be good for the public,' said Senator Glenn Wakai, who has been spearheading efforts to fund the new Aloha Stadium without additional taxpayer money
The Hawaii Convention Center is also in the spotlight. The Hawaii Tourism Authority supported the bill, seeing it as a means to generate additional revenue. However, the opposition is strong from The Outdoor Circle.
'This could lead to corporate schlock logos, everything screaming from every building or public facility. And we see a slippery slope here,' said Winston Welch, Executive Director of The Outdoor Circle.
The Outdoor Circle argues the bill may jeopardize public funding of tax-exempt bonds and may not hold up against the state's longstanding ban on billboards. 'Yes, everybody needs money, but we've found a way for 100 years to do this without sacrificing our visual environment,' said Welch.
Yet supporters said the bill is not a threat to Hawaii's scenic beauty.
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'We want to keep that pristine environment that we have. This is for one singular building to allow for any kind of corporation to put their logo on the outside of the stadium,' said Sen. Wakai.
The bill now heads to the Governor for his signature. If signed, the law could take effect as early as July.
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