The state got closer to a new stadium Wednesday when Aloha Halawa Development Partners submitted its proposal to rebuild the facility and also develop 93 acres surrounding it.

But there’s still quite a way to go before there’s a done deal with AHDP to make the venue and the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District a reality. First, the state must approve the proposal, which could happen around the middle of next month. If it does, then there’s nine more months of back-and-forth before a signed contract and three years of construction.

State Sen. Glenn Wakai suggests thinking of it as a romantic relationship leading up to a wedding.

“It’s like they are past the dating stage and close to engaged, but there’s no marriage yet,” said Wakai, who represents the Senate district that includes the neighborhoods around the stadium.

The proposal from AHDP — the sole remaining preferred “offeror” for the massive project — still must check off plenty of boxes outlined in the request for proposals before it can be announced in September as accepted. For example, the proposal must meet a wide range of requirements, including stadium capacity of at least 25,000, affordable housing, a hotel, and some of the land devoted to parks.

The public-private partnership only becomes truly official after a final stage, a due diligence and discussion phase that is scheduled for completion by the end of June.

Gov. Josh Green has consistently backed the NASED concept, as long as it includes a significant amount of housing.

“(The proposal) will advance us towards a great new stadium, much-needed residential housing, and mixed-use transit-oriented development to revitalize the surrounding community,” Green said Wednesday in a NASED news release.

According to how the project was revised after Green took office 20 months ago, AHDP would receive $350 million earmarked by the state Legislature for building the stadium, and the private group would be responsible for operating the stadium and further financing and upkeep of the facility.

The private partners also would have the opportunity and responsibility to plan and develop the 93 acres around the stadium over 20 years. Some of its profits from developing the district would go to maintaining the stadium.

“Progress on the NASED project continues and the submission of AHDP’s proposal is an important step forward,” Stadium Authority Chair Brennon Morioka said. “We are very excited to review the key features of AHDP’s proposal such as the proposed stadium concept and how AHDP proposes to deliver the project’s vision of a larger district community. The RFP was designed to accommodate the possibility of having a single offeror, and AHDP’s proposal will now undergo a detailed review by the evaluation members.”

AHDP includes local, national and international companies, with Development Ventures Group Inc., Stanford Carr Development LLC, Ameresco Inc. and Aloha Stadium Community Development LLC (The Cordish Co.) as the lead equity members.

RMA Architects, Populous, SB Architects, Henning Larsen, Alakea Design Group and WCIT Architects comprise the design team, while Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. Inc. and AECOM Hunt make up the construction team. Castle &Cooke Hawai‘i and Wilson Okamoto Corp. are the other team members.

“AHDP remains under strict procurement confidentiality provisions and may not speak publicly about NASED or its proposal,” according to the NASED news release.

The original Aloha Stadium opened in 1975 and hosted its last event inside the facility in 2021 after it was deemed unsafe by state officials. A swap meet three times a week, concerts and other events are still held in the stadium parking lot.