A contemporary theater will "answer a lot of the problems that we're facing as a 55-year-old building" and will feed the needs of modern Broadway shows to "keep up with the times, the digital revolution," meaning they'll be able to catch the blockbusters a little closer to when they were blockbusters.
- Mary Lewis

Excerpt from "A ‘true season’ of Broadway at Blaisdell to raise curtain on new era for theater in Hawaii", by Hawaii News Now, April 2019

Read the full article

OUR MEMORIES WERE MADE HERE

What are some of your fondest memories of the Blaisdell Center? See what others have shared with us, along with what dreams they have for the future in hopes that future generations may have the opportunity to create new memories of their own.

Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie

Jo Koy

Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom

Simon Crookall

Vicky Takamine

Senator Brickwood Galuteria

Walter Figueira

Allen Hoe

Hina Wong-Kalu

Kane Innis

Walter Ozawa

My fondest memory of the Blaisdell Center is...

“In my memory, Blaisdell has always been a place where you go to for a special event. Aside from my high school graduation, I mostly remember the time I went to see Les Miserables with my parents and brother. As a child, it was my first "major" event. Les Miserables was such an awesome production, especially for a child who had only been to your average movie theater. Aside from the show itself, I can still remember the excitement I had when my dad bought me some memorabilia from the kiosk and drinks during the intermission. It was an exciting experience and it felt "special" to go to this "fancy" place where memories are made.”

“I had a small apparel business a while back, I remember spending the entire weekend at my trade show booth in the exhibition hall. Such a fun experience meeting so many people.”

“I enjoy listening to the symphony in a venue built to support the acoustics. I also like to attend musical acts, graduations, and tradeshows there.”

“That arena is so cool! Its crazy funky, looks like a giant UFO and so in your face! It just screams Honolulu! We don't want to be like NY or LA. Where else is there anything like Blaisdell arena? It's got so much presence. Can see it every time I fly out. I don't care if you build a 1000 ft tower next door. Arena is kapu! Malama our fave flying saucer and let it live!”

“Blaisdell Exhibition Hall is where my now husband and I went to attend the wedding expo, bridal expo, and baby expo! We also go to catch shows at the Blaisdell Center, and occasionally, we go to the plant sale at the exhibition center! Our church also hosts Easter Services at the Blaisdell Arena. The offerings at the Blaisdell Center truly touch on so many aspects of our evolving relationship. It truly is a gathering place for my ʻohana.”

“Relaxing under a tree having dinner at the farmers market, watching kids run around the lawn, then going by the pond on the McKinley side of the expo hall, taking pics along the way–curves at the concert hall, funky roof at the expo hall, birds and fish. Such a peaceful oasis in the city. Watched herons flying around ponds, then golden sunset on the arena, the building was so beautiful! Came back next day for a concert – early for more photos of architecture. Crowds got thick, but people chilled by ponds, rocks, lawn. NBC is a great place to relax, urban birdwatch, and take photos, yet not overwhelming when thousands show up. We had lots of space outside to mill around before heading in for our show, which was wonderful! And our very backrow seats were still close enough for a good view!”

“Concerts, expos, meeting friends, hanging out talking story under the coconut trees, feeding fish. Love the wide lawns.”

“Jimmy Borges' Sinatra concert was my first pops concert and The Brothers Cazimero was my first Hawaiian concert.”

“First concert, first boxing match, first mma fight, first expo, first pro basketball game, first jiu jitsu tournament, first opera, first musical...so many firsts at the NBC for me.”

“NBC was such an institution growing up, all the many performances, graduations, excursions and KS song contest...”

#memoriesmadehere

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

Mahalo to all who joined us for our third public workshop held on November 8th, 2017. The plans and presentation materials are available for download here. A summary report that includeds all comment cards collected will be posted soon. We will continue to collect public feedback via the contact form at the bottom of this website as we head into the next phase of design.

Read about other community engagement efforts
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Community Engagement

The City and County of Honolulu owns and operates the 22.4-acre Neal S. Blaisdell Center in the heart of urban Honolulu. To create a roadmap for the site's future, the City conducted an economic feasibility study and a preliminary land use plan to create a vision for a renewed cultural and entertainment complex.

Planning efforts began in 2015 with extensive stakeholder and public involvement to assess the community’s goals. This ongoing community engagement has helped in the development of a conceptual master plan. Implementation of this plan will require significant investment by the City and its partners over the coming years, and the outcome will be a gathering place for the people of Hawaii on par with the great civic centers of the world.

7/23/14
Standford Carr Development, LLC
Bank of Hawai‘i
Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing
Alexander and Baldwin, Inc.
McKinley Foundation

7/24/14
The Outdoor Circle
First United Methodist Church
Hawai‘i Community Development Authority
Straub Clinic and Hospital
AIA Honolulu
Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
Department of Education
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
Neighborhood Board 11
Office of Planning
Kaka‘ako Improvement Association
Department of Transportation Services
Hawaiian Electric Company
McKinley High School
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Honolulu Museum of Art
Honolulu Museum of Art School
Honolulu Police Department

8/19/14
First United Methodist Church
Hawai‘i Community Development Authority
Straub Clinic and Hospital
Howard Hughes Corporation
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
Kaka‘ako Improvement Association
Hawaiian Electric Company
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Honolulu Museum of Art School
Medical Arts Building
ULI Rose Center

2/9/15
Maui Arts & Culture Center

2/10/15
Public Workshop #1

2/10/15
Honolulu Museum of Art
Diamond Head Theater
Hawai‘i Theatre
Pa‘i Arts & Culture Center
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Honolulu Theatre for Youth
Kane‘ohe Ranch Company
Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing
Alexander and Baldwin, Inc.
Island Insurance Company, Ltd.
The Shidler Group
McKinley Foundation

2/11/15
Alan Hochfelsen, Inc. Honolulu Symphony
Hawai‘i Cultural Center
Forest City Hawai‘i
General Growth Properties
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter
EKF (Hula)
Republik
IATSE
Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation
Straub Clinic and Hospital
Queens Medical Center
UH Stan Sheriff Center

2/12/15
Hawai‘i Convention Center
Aloha Stadium
HCDA
Stan Sheriff Center
Ballet Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
Hawai‘i Theatre for Youth
MacNaughton Group
Halau Mohala ‘Ilima
Mayor’s Office of Culture and Arts
Neighborhood Advisory
Waikiki Shell
First United Methodist Church
Straub Clinic and Hospital
First Chinese Church of Christ
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
McKinley High School
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Hawaiian Electric Company
First Insurance Company of Hawai‘i
One Archer Lane
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter
Oliver McMillan

2/13/15
Polynesian Cultural Center

3/12/15
Stanford Carr Development, LLC
Kane‘ohe Ranch Company, LLC
Hawai‘i Community Foundation
First Hawaiian Bank
Island Insurance Company, Ltd.
The Shidler Group
McKinley Foundation
Hawai‘i Community Foundation

9/14/15
Honolulu Symphony Orchestra

9/18/15
Ballet Hawai‘i

9/28/15
Honolulu Museum of Art

10/2/15
HCDA
McKinley Foundation

10/9/15
Art Space

10/14/15
Bank of Hawai‘i

10/22/15
Stanford Carr Development

10/28/15
Mel Kaneshige, Formerly with Outrigger

10/29/15
Alexander and Baldwin
Island Insurance Company, Inc.

10/30/15
First Hawaiian Bank

11/2/15
Hawai‘i Community Foundation

12/8/15
Hawai‘i Health Systems

12/9/15
Hawai‘i Historic Foundation

12/10/15
Hawai‘i Community Foundation

1/11/16
Kaiser Permanente

1/22/16
First United Methodist Church
Honolulu Museum
Kamehameha Schools

1/25/16
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter

1/26/16
Hawaiian Electric Industries

2/1/16
Tom Moffat Productions

2/12/16
Hawaiian Electric Industries

4/7/16
Honolulu Museum of Art

4/12/16
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Honolulu Museum of Art
Honolulu Symphony Orchestra

5/2/16
Hawai‘i Musicians Association

5/12/16
JN Automotive Group

8/5/16
Art Space

3/2/17
Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre
Ballet Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony Orchestra
Entertainment Enterprises Hawai‘i, Inc.
Aloha Group International
Diamond Head International Music Festival and Conference
Alan Hochfelsen
IATSE Mixed Local 665
Hawai‘i Pacific University
Eggshell Light Co., Inc.
Rhema Services
Tom Moffat Productions
IDES Production Management
Douglas Trade Shows
Ken Kanter
Special Events Hawai‘i, Inc.
Carol Kai Charities, Inc.
Collector’s Show
Royal Hawaiian Band

7/10/17
Council Member Kobayashi
Council Member Elefante
Council Member Anderson
Ballet Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony Orchestra
Royal Hawaiian Band
Douglas Tradeshows
Ken Kanter
HCDA
Vicky Holt Takamine

7/11/17
Speaker of the House Scott Saiki and Vice Speaker Della Au Belatti
Council Member Menor
Council Member Martin
Blaisdell War Memorial Group
BAMP

7/12/17
DGM Group
Neighborhood Alliance
Hawai‘i Historic Foundation
Senator Galuteria

7/13/17
Council Member Ozawa
Council Member Manahan
Public Workshop #2

7/14/17
Children’s Discovery Center

7/20/17
Makiki Neighborhood Board

7/25/17
Ala Moana/Kaka‘ako Neighborhood Board
Paulette Kaleikini
Hina Wong-Kalu

8/7/17
Aaron Salā
Kaleo Trinidad
Snowbird Bento

8/30/17
Kaka‘ako Improvement Association General Membership

9/8/17
Walter Ozawa

9/26/17
Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako Neighborhood Board

11/8/17
Veteran Representatives
Public Workshop #3

11/9/17
PA‘I Foundation

12/4/17
HCDA Interim Executive Director

12/15/17
HSO Board of Directors

Master Plan

The Master Plan chronicles the planning efforts and technical studies conducted for a renewed civic center that serves as a cultural and entertainment complex for locals and visitors to Hawai‘i. Planning efforts began in 2015 with extensive stakeholder and public involvement to assess the community’s goals for a redeveloped Center. These efforts began with a feasibility study and a conceptual land use plan, see Feasibility Study below.

Download

MASTER PLAN (PDF) APPENDICES (PDF)

Table of Contents

MASTER PLAN

Chapter 1 – Introduction and Overview
Chapter 2 – Community Engagement
Chapter 3 – Master Plan

APPENDICES

Appendix A - Blaisdell Center Feasibility Study and Conceptual Land Use Plan
Appendix B - Existing Conditions Report
Appendix C – Civil Engineering Study
Appendix D - Hydrology Study
Appendix E - Structural Assessment
Appendix F - Plumbing and Mechanical Engineering Study
Appendix G - Electrical Study
Appendix H - Fire Protection Study
Appendix I - Geotechnical Assessment
Appendix J - Topographic Survey
Appendix K - Historic American Buildings Survey
Appendix L - Retail Demand Study
Appendix M - Climate Analysis and Sustainable Design Strategies
Appendix N - Campus Emergency Response Plan
Appendix O - Transportation Impact Assessment Report
Appendix P - Public Meeting Summaries
Appendix Q - Cost Estimation
Appendix R - Conceptual Plan and Program Report
Appendix S - Campus Signage Strategy

Feasibility Study & Conceptual Land Use Plan

In September 2016, the City conducted an economic feasibility study and a preliminary land use plan to create a vision for a renewed cultural and entertainment complex. The study will serve as a roadmap for the project's future.

SUMMARY FULL REPORT

Site Plan

Click below to view the latest site plan:

FAQs

How much will this redevelopment cost?

The City anticipates that the construction cost for all of the venues will be $547 million, but will allocate an additional $167.5 million for development and construction contingencies and $57.5 million for the anticipated increases in material cost (inflation) between now and the beginning of construction. The total project cost is estimated to be $772 million.

How will this be funded?

Why is there a need to redevelop the site as opposed to fixing/renovating any site issues?

How much public involvement has there been?

Will Blaisdell be closed completely for redevelopment?

Does this redevelopment include Thomas Square?

Is Thomas Square being transferred to the Department of Enterprise Services?

Are there plans for commercialization of Blaisdell or including housing on site?

Why is the City spending money on this when the state can’t pay for the Rail?

What elements of the existing site stays, and what goes?

We are building more venues, how will Blaisdell accommodate more cars?

How will the City maintain the Veterans Memorial?

What will happen to the fishponds?

What is the timeline for the next steps?

When will construction begin?

Will there be opportunities for future engagement?

Blaisdell by the Numbers:

Project Timeline

2015-2016: Feasibility Study
2/10/2015: Public Meeting #1
2014-2015: Outreach with Stakeholders
Fall of 2016: Feasibility Report Published
2016-2017: Task Planning Team selected
2017: Site/Building Assessment
7/13/17: Public Meeting #2
11/8/17: Public Meeting #3
2018: Conceptual Design
2019: EA Completed
2019: Request for Qualifications Release

Existing Visitors & Capacity

0 Visitors/Year

Hosted at Blaisdell

0 Seats

Concert Hall Capacity