Sports Authority Bill Misses Cut
The legislation called for setting up an agency to attract sports and entertainment聽events to Hawaii.
Here’s yet another bill that fell victim to the conference committee mania last Friday: legislation to create a Sports and Entertainment Authority聽and give it some funding for staff.
“The clock聽ran out on the sports authority bill,” said Sen. Glenn Wakai, the lead conferee for his chamber on . “How fitting that the retailer declared bankruptcy at the same time.”
Supporters of HB 1847, including Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui and House Rep. Scott Nishimoto, argued that the is not doing enough to attract sports and entertainment to the islands, that the state could聽serve as a meeting place between Asia and the U.S., and that the competitions could聽appeal pro athletes as well as to youth.
Opponents, especially Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, warned that a new agency would overlap with聽HTA’s efforts and that its operations would require a major聽financial commitment.
There was also some debate about what to with authority over Aloha Stadium.
Another measure, this one that would聽establish a within the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, failed to advance this session.
