Hawai‘i's flagship convention venue is staring down a painful combo of leaky ceilings and a leaky budget after lawmakers yanked a key funding request out of a draft supplemental spending plan. The Hawai‘i Convention Center's long-awaited fix for chronic leaks is now in jeopardy after a $55 million line item was removed, putting its two-year repair schedule that began in early January 2026 on shakier ground. If the money is not restored, the center could reopen with some leak-related damage still unresolved, and event organizers warn that unfinished work would cost Hawai‘i valuable room nights and the tax revenue that comes with big conventions.
According to Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the House Finance Committee stripped the $55 million line from its draft supplemental budget. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority had requested the package by pairing $34 million in new capital funding with $21 million from its enterprise fund. The cut hits a fiscal 2027 capital repairs plan that HTA and convention center officials say was designed to finally seal stubborn "hotspot" leak areas that have lingered despite earlier rounds of spending.
Lawmakers Heard Urgent Testimony
At a January budget briefing, HTA and convention center staff told the House Finance Committee that the rooftop terrace deck is the main culprit behind the leaks and that staff had already shifted internal funds to keep the project moving, according to the committee transcript. General manager Teri Orton and HTA staff detailed how unresolved leaks have forced them to close meeting spaces and why they are trying to concentrate the most disruptive work during the center's downtime, based on the hearing record hosted by Civil Beat.
Repair Estimates Keep Climbing
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority initially pegged the rooftop work as roughly a $64 million centerpiece when it announced modified operations for 2026 to 2027, but real-world bids and the two-year construction window have pushed that number higher. Hawaii News Now reported that estimates have climbed to about $87 million as crews uncovered more water-damaged material, which has strained the center's six-year capital plan and forced officials to reshuffle which projects get tackled first.
What $55 Million Would Buy And The Economic Stakes
The supplemental cash was supposed to fast-track dozens of leak-related jobs, from ballroom gutter fixes and foyer transom glass repairs to carpet replacement and other work on the building envelope. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Meet Hawai‘i told lawmakers it has 48 active leads that could bring an estimated 241,000 attendees, 438,000 hotel room nights and about $1.5 billion in economic impact, and the convention center contributes roughly $45 million a year in taxes to the state's tourism economy. Officials say that if repairs fall behind schedule, displaced citywide events and delayed bookings would ripple through hotels, caterers and ground transportation operators.
What Officials Say And What Happens Next
HTA leaders say they remain focused on completing the leak repairs during the closure and are pressing lawmakers to restore the supplemental funds or look at alternatives such as revenue bonds, if the convention center can legally take on debt. The committee transcript and HTA briefings depict officials trying to juggle project scope, timing and contractor accountability while limiting lost business for booked and prospective events. The House Finance calendar indicates that final calls on the supplemental budget are expected in the coming weeks. For now, the $55 million question, and whether Hawai‘i can avoid deeper convention losses, is still hanging in the balance.
