Hawaii Tourism Authority Reassessing $2.5M Contract With PGA

LPGA Fields Open One Of Two Professional Tournaments No Longer Being Played In Hawaii

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is "reassessing its $2.5[M] contract with the PGA following the loss of two professional golf tournaments this year and is pressing PGA officials to either replace the tournaments or give the money back," according to Chad Blair of the PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS. The HTA's "reconsideration of its relationship with professional golf underscores the troubles faced by the tournament industry -- dwindling fan interest and elusive corporate sponsorships." HTA Marketing Dir David Uchiyama said, "I'm a little concerned about the PGA's ability to secure title sponsors, and I am concerned about the overall field that they get out here to Hawaii. You don't see a Tiger Woods or a Phil Mickelson." Blair notes that "about half of HTA's $2.5[M] PGA contract is used to 'underpin' or support tournaments." This year "marked the last time the Turtle Bay Championship on Oahu's North Shore will be on the Champions Tour," and the "same goes for the LPGA Fields Open in Hawaii, played at Ko Olina." The Turtle Bay event has "not been replaced, and the PGA is looking for a new sponsor for the [PGA Tour] MasterCard Championship played at Hualalai on the Big Island after the credit card company ended a 12-year run there in January." HTA Chief Administrative Officer Lloyd Unebasami said that the PGA is "contractually obligated to replace a PGA Tour or Champions Tour event with an equal or better event." Uchiyama said the PGA "understands our concern and has indicated they will try to resolve things. I sense they are taking this seriously. But I haven't seen any change yet" (PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS, 8/29 issue).