by NATION OF HAWAIʻI

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI – The fourth session of the Tourism & Gaming Working Group was held on March 12, 2026 at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol.  The session focused on how gaming has functioned in established jurisdictions and how infrastructure can influence visitor activity.

Across both presentations, the discussion reflected how these systems are developed over time and how they operate within the environments in which they are built.

Tribal gaming in practice

The session opened with a presentation from Ryan Miller, Council Member of the Tulalip Tribes, who shared perspectives on the long-term role of gaming within his community.

The focus was on outcomes.

Gaming revenue has supported healthcare, expanded access to education, created employment, and funded community infrastructure over time.  These investments were described as part of a system developed over time, rather than a single initiative.

“We’ve lifted not only our community out of poverty, but we’ve shared that economic development across the region.”

Miller also spoke to how these efforts were developed and managed within the Tribe, with operational capacity built over time.

“It needs to be done the right way the first time.”

Infrastructure and visitor activity

The discussion then turned to infrastructure, with a presentation from Jeremy Aguero, Principal Analyst from Las Vegas-Based Applied Analysis, on how investment can influence visitor behavior and economic activity.

The conversation extended beyond traditional infrastructure to include the broader set of assets that support tourism over time, including hotel inventory, entertainment venues, and event-driven developments such as stadiums.

Examples from established markets, including Las Vegas and projects such as Allegiant Stadium, were discussed in the context of how destinations introduce new attractions to generate visitation and increase overall spending.

Within those examples, the relationship between different forms of infrastructure was a consistent part of the discussion, including how hotel capacity, venues, and supporting systems function together within a broader visitor economy.  Aguero also lightly touched on what gaming may look like on O’ahu but did not have any specifics to the model he built.

During the session, Brandon Makaʻawaʻawa raised questions around how those models translate across different environments.

“Las Vegas and Hawaiʻi are very different.  We do not have 130,000 hotel rooms, we do not have a drive-in market, and we do not have an airport that brings in 55 million passengers annually.  How would a stadium apply within Hawaiʻi’s context?”

A similar question was raised from the Governor’s office, asking how different types of infrastructure would perform within Hawaiʻi’s existing visitor economy and what conditions would need to be in place for those investments to succeed.

Context for Hawaiʻi

Several structural factors specific to Hawaiʻi were discussed during the session.

Visitor access is entirely dependent on air travel.  There is no regional drive-in market.  Hotel inventory is more limited than in many mainland destinations, and the existing tourism system is already established.

These conditions influence how new development would be introduced and how additional visitor activity could be accommodated.

Structural considerations

Across both presentations, several foundational elements were referenced, including governance, ownership, revenue allocation, and regulatory oversight.

Nation of Hawaiʻi participants raised that early decisions in these areas carry long-term implications and reflect a broader kuleana to the community.

“How those decisions are made early on will determine who actually benefits over time.”

The fourth session did not advance a specific proposal but continued the Working Group’s review of how different models function and what considerations may apply in Hawaiʻi.

As the process continues, the Nation of Hawaiʻi remains engaged, with a focus on ensuring the discussion stays grounded in Hawaiʻi’s context, its people, and its relationship with the ʻāina.

Watch a replay of the meeting via Youtube:

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