MEDIA RELEASE

Lt. Gov. James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. has issued the following statement in response to the State Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology’s decision to defer indefinitely his legislative proposal (SB 2743) to establish a volunteer Hawaii Sports Commission to attract, develop, manage and promote sports and sporting events in the state:

“It’s a shame the public voice was not heard today (Tuesday, Feb. 10).

“Since the moment we introduced this bill, residents from across the state have stepped forward to actively support a Hawaii Sports Commission.

“There is no statewide organization with the full-time responsibility to attract, develop, manage and promote sports and sporting events in Hawaii.

“We are missing out on our share of an industry that generates more than $4 billion a year – money that could be spent in our local communities.

“Despite this legislative setback, we will continue to pursue new opportunities to make Hawaii a worldwide leader in sports destinations.”