HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Overlooking a town that has been rebuilding since the 2023 wildfires, there’s a field of dreams.
Athletic director Jon Conrad is pitching an idea to build a multi-purpose field for the Luna’s baseball team, soccer, other sports, community events, and can be used as a Lahaina landing pad.
“It was originally set up for a baseball field maybe 10 years ago,” said Conrad.
“After the wildfires destroyed the batting cages, it was sort of like, how can we creatively find ways to build this into public safety as well, and that’s where the landing zone comes in,” he added.
“The big one for our community is that it can be used as a landing space for emergency helicopter landings for a potential fire, which we know is always possible now,” said Emmett Markulis, Lahainaluna head baseball coach.
The team currently uses an off-campus county park.
“I can help our athletes get a better place to play baseball and so I’m just trying to do what I can do and so that was very exciting for me,” said Markulis.
Conrad says the new turf field used by the football team isn’t good for helicopter engines because it has beads, and new batting cages are ready to go but the school can’t afford to install them. He estimates the cost to put them in and develop a multi-purpose field would be under a million dollars — giving helicopters a bird’s-eye view during potential emergencies and the baseball team, a home turf.
“So I think it’s a win-win,” said Conrad.
Conrad said he’s getting input for his plan from the fire department, state land department and Windward Aviation. There’s no official fundraiser yet, but he’s always looking for support.
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