State has until end of year to reach deal with military before scenic airfield closure
A Hawaii Army installation that has become a popular tourist destination is in danger of closing if the state and the military fail to come to a new lease agreement.
The state of Hawaii has until just after the new year to reach a deal with the military to keep a popular airfield open.
Dillingham Airfield, an Army installation located on Oahu’s North Shore, has for years been a tourist destination in the state, giving visitors opportunities for scenic views of the island as well as unique opportunities for activities such as skydiving.
But that all could be coming to an end if a new lease agreement is not reached between the military and the state, an ending that could also jeopardize many jobs, according to a Hawaii News Now report.
"It’s the only place on Oahu where we can do the skydiving. It’s the busiest drop zone in the world. On the other side, we have one of the most famous gliding zones in the world," James Aagaard of Hawaii Rotor Adventures told Hawaii News Now. "It’s a gem of Hawaii."
The Hawaii Department of Transportation currently leases the land from the Army for $1 per year, according to the report, which notes that for the last 10 years the state and the Army have agreed to short-term leases every few years.
But as the current lease ends, operators of the airfield are looking for a longer-term deal that would give them the peace of mind to continue to invest in its operations.
"I need assurances that I can be there for [the] long term," Hawaii DOT Director Ed Sniffen told Hawaii News Now. "I need assurances that when I put money into that airfield. I will have the time to appreciate that money and make sure any agreements are fulfilled with that money. I need to know that I can build things where I need to keep everybody safe. And the last thing is, I need water on the side, but I don’t know how to run the system, so I need someone else to do it."
The plan is to get a 50-year lease, something Army Garrison Hawaii has said "exceeds our approval authority locally and requires approval at the Department of the Army level in Washington, D.C."
"We have been working diligently with our higher headquarters to receive an expedited assessment and decision from the Department of the Army on a longer-term lease in December," the garrison told Hawaii News Now. "We have been working closely with the Hawaii Department of Transportation throughout the process and value their partnership as we work toward a common goal of maintaining the airfield for the collaborative use of the community and the Army."
A Fox News Digital request for comment from the Army was referred to Army Garrison Hawaii, which did not immediately respond.
Meanwhile, local residents say any deal to keep the airfield open is a good one.
"If they can’t get a long-term, get what they can get," North Shore resident Dan Walker told Hawaii News Now.