Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan told the Stadium Authority Thursday he expects the facility “will be vindicated” in the controversy over the cancellation of the soccer exhibition by the U.S. Women’s National Team.
“We still take the position that the facility is safe and that there is nothing wrong with the field,” Chan said at the authority’s first meeting since the Dec. 6 match with Trinidad and Tobago was abruptly canceled after several players objected to the conditions.
The State Attorney General’s Office is conducting a review and a class-action lawsuit brought by ticket buyers has been filed in state court.
The Authority went into executive session with its attorneys to discuss the situation, part of which included a 15-minute on-the-field tour of the turf.
Prior to the executive session, Chan said “Again, we believe that it was a preference (for the U.S. Soccer Federation to cancel) and it is the right of every client to say whether or not they choose to play on it,” Chan said. “But, to say that is is unsafe … Well, we have experts that come in to evaluate and certify our field.”
Chan said, “So, I want to make it very clear that if they are not playing it is because it is their preference, then they should not be using the (excuse) that it is unsafe. We would not have provided an unsafe facility for anybody to use.”
The NFL is scheduled to conduct a site inspection more than three weeks before the kickoff of the Jan. 31, 2016 Pro Bowl. “That’s something they do every year (before the game),” Chan said.
Chan held out hope that U.S. Women’s National Team might someday return.
“After we go through the process and put our differences aside, we’d like to make sure that we have an opportunity to have this event come back,” Chan said.
