HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

STATE OF HAWAII
STATE CAPITOL
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

November 8, 2017

Mayor Kirk Caldwell

City and County of Honolulu

Re: Neal Blaisdell Complex Modernization

Dear Mayor Caldwell:

I respectfully request that the City Administration seriously consider postponing its work
on the Neal Blaisdell Complex redevelopment project.

Although the concept of modernizing the Blaisdell Complex is worthy, Oahu taxpayers
cannot take the brunt of paying for rail construction, rail operations and this project. Once the
City Administration committed itself to the rail project, it cannot further burden our future
generations with additional debt. The current estimated $500 million-plus cost of the Blaisdell
Complex redevelopment could be better spent on mitigation of unanticipated future rail
construction cost increases, rail maintenance and operations, and transit oriented development-
related infrastructure (such as sewage capacity).

It may also be more prudent for the City to wait for the Federal Transit Administrations
(FTA) response to its rail financial recovery plan submission. Because rail financing remains in a
precarious stage, it is not strategic to signal to the FTA that the Citys prioritization of the
Blaisdell Complex may divert resources from rail. If rail is indeed the Citys top priority, then
the City must make every effort to achieve proper fiscal management to ensure the completion of
the rail project.

I support the modernization of government facilities. However, I believe that the timing
of the proposed Blaisdell Complex project is not currently in the best interest of Oahu taxpayers.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments.

Sincerely,

Scott K. Saiki
Speaker of the House