First Pitch Thrown at Newly Opened Central Maui Regional Sports Complex

March 13, 2016, 10:24 AM HST
* Updated March 14, 1:59 PM

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Youth softball teams joined government leaders celebrating the grand opening and blessing of the Central Maui Regional Sports Complex this weekend.

Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, and DLNR Deputy Director of Water Commission Jeffrey Pearson were among community leaders who threw the ceremonial “first pitches” during Saturday’s opening event.

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The first teams to take to the new softball fields are players competing in the 2016 MGSA-Maui Girls Softball Association season opener. All games are scheduled to be played at the complex.

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Maile Viela and her husband John have long been involved in coaching and supporting youth sports on Maui. Reacting to today’s opening, Maile Viela commented, “It’s amazing. It’s so nice to see all of the community here together to celebrate the grand opening. To celebrate, what will become…you see only two fields here…to see what the finished product will look like in a few years. A great place for the kids and families.”

With the first phase of construction now complete, local and visiting teams and the general public can now compete on two softball fields and utilize an open field, two comfort stations and a concession building. These features cover about 24 acres of the 65 acre property.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will be turning over the management and operations of the complex to Maui County.

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Lt. Governor Tsutsui of Maui is credited as one of the major supporters of the new facility. He helped secure funding for the complex after hearing from Maui constituents about the desperate need for additional youth and adult playing fields.

“This is a great day for Hawaiʻi’s families and keiki because this park not only provides a place for them to play, but it also serves as a gathering place for the community,” said Tsutsui. “This long-awaited sports complex has the ability to host teams statewide and from the mainland, which can help stimulate the local economy.”

“Maui County is the fastest growing county in the state, and as our population grows, so does the demand for more parks,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa in a joint press release. “Mahalo to Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui and the DLNR for building this much needed asset to our community, I know it will be well utilized by all of our residents.”

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The complex’s phase two of construction is underway and will add two additional softball fields to complete a quad, completion of the parking area and additional landscaping. Phase three includes, four little league baseball fields, another comfort station, an additional concession building and landscaping. Future plans may include an additional comfort station and an open grass area to include three soccer fields.

At full build-out, the complex will eventually feature eleven designated sports fields, an open grass field, comfort stations, concession buildings and parking for approximately 700 vehicles.

The DLNR Division State Parks and Engineering Division acted as the project managing agency. Phase one broke ground in August 2014. The design consultant was R.M. Towill Corp., and the construction contractor was Goodfellow Bros., Inc.