Convention center grapples with mounting problems from major rooftop leak

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Hawaii Convention Center says a major rooftop leak problem threatens to cause structural damage to the $350 million complex.

So far, the leaks haven’t led to cancellations. But the center’s manager said it has forced the venue to move events to other rooms.

“At one point, we took out 10 rooms when we had that heavy rains for like two or three weeks. It just got so saturated, we couldn’t stop it,” said Teri Orton, the center’s general manager.

“It took us three weeks to a month until we could restore those run back to event-ready status.”

When it was completed in 1997, the Hawaii Convention Center won a number of design and architectural awards and was touted as one of the most innovative projects of that decade.

Twenty-six years later, the water leaks are threatening to undermine the complex’s structural integrity.

The problems start with the cracks on the center’s rooftop terrace.

During heavy rains, water gets underneath the sport court covering and escapes through the cracks and through the ceiling and also down stairwells.

Some of the concrete structures on the roof are also cracking, exposing the rebar.

The leaks so large and have been going on for so long that stalactites have formed in a stairwell, potentially undermining the structural integrity of the building’s steel beams.

“It’s horrifying that we let things get to that state,” said state Rep. Sean Quinlan, chair of the House Tourism Committee.

“If it continues to rust, we would have to either reinforce the walls, or potentially even condemned the building.”

Last year, the convention center asked the state Legislature for $64 million to mend the roof and make other repairs -- but it only got $15 million for temporary fixes.

It’s renewing its request again, saying further delays will mean even higher construction costs.

“By 2027, this project will be roughly about $88 million,” said Orton.

But lawmakers said they also want to look at other creative solutions.

“We might find a public-private partnership with a hotel ... in return for potential air rights to build another hotel on top of it or maybe some redevelopment in that area,” said Quinlan.

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