UH on-campus parking will be off limits for Maui Invitational tournament fans
The vast majority of people who plan to see some of the nation’s best college basketball teams play in person Nov. 20-22 will need to find their way to the University of Hawaii’s lower campus without parking at UH.
The Maui Invitational has a new sponsor — and, for this year, a different venue on a different island with a much larger arena than the 2,400-seat Lahaina Civic Center. But, while the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center can host 10,300 fans, parking will be severely restricted on the Manoa campus, because school will be in session.
Much of the tournament is played during prime class and work hours for UH, and parking is often a challenge even under normal circumstances.
The tournament is played on the three days before Thanksgiving. On those days, on-site parking will be restricted to students, staff and faculty, and a valid UH-Manoa ID will be required to access lower campus, a UH spokesperson said.
The tournament is on Oahu this year because of the Aug. 8 wildfires that decimated Lahaina. Around 100 people died and 2,000 buildings were destroyed. The Lahaina Civic Center remains standing, but its gymnasium is in use as a FEMA recovery center.
Maui Jim Eyewear’s office in Lahaina was destroyed in the fire. Maui Jim is now the tournament’s former title sponsor, replaced by Allstate.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
The Allstate Maui Invitational website has ground transportation and parking suggestions and instructions for fans at mauiinvitational.com.
The website suggests ride shares, taxis, drop-offs, public transportation and tournament shuttles.
The shuttles are $93 per person for all three days, $60 for Tuesday/Wednesday and $30 for Wednesday. They will start at 7:45 a.m. each day and will run approximately every 15 minutes, according to the tournament website. They will pick up fans from three tournament hotels — Sheraton Waikiki, Marriott Waikiki and Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort — and the Hawaii Convention Center.
Shuttles from the convention center to UH are free, but there is a $15 daily flat rate to park at the convention center.
Parking at Ala Moana Shopping Center near the convention center is also available at hourly rates. This option can be found at premiumparking.com.
The field of Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCLA and host Chaminade is considered perhaps the best in the 40 years of the annual tournament.
