ROH §38-7.1
Rental rates for Blaisdell Center and Waikiki Shell events
Read the official text at honolulu.gov ↗This section lists the rental rates for different facilities at the Blaisdell Center and the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell. It covers rates for events with or without admission fees, including deposits, percentage rents, and reduced rates for low-use days. It also explains special rules for fundraisers, sports practice, and nonperformance days.
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The ordinance, as written (Honolulu County) — Rates
A copy, taken August 22, 2026. The version published by Honolulu is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
(a) Nonadmission events. Users of facilities used for nonadmission events shall pay the following charges as applicable.
(1) Except for events qualifying for reduced rental rates, the following fixed rental rates will be charged. The fixed rental rates must cover the facility daily operating cost of each facility.
(A) Arena
Performance day
$5,396
Nonperformance day
$2,698
Overtime rate (per hour)
$594
(B) Concert Hall
Performance day
$3,409
Nonperformance day
$1,705
Overtime rate (per hour)
$375
(C) Exhibition Hall
Performance day
$3,901
Nonperformance day
$1,951
Overtime rate (per hour)
$429
(D) Pikake Room
Performance day
$950
Nonperformance day
$475
Overtime rate (per hour)
$105
(E) Hawaii Suites 1 to 12
Performance day
$92
Nonperformance day
$92
(F) Galleria 1st floor or 2nd floor
Performance day
$230
Nonperformance day
$115
Overtime rate (per hour)
$25
(G) Maui Room
Performance day
$144
Nonperformance day
$144
(H) Oahu Room
Performance day
$121
Nonperformance day
$121
(I) Kauai Room
Performance day
$109
Nonperformance day
$109
(J)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell
Performance Day
$1,948
Nonperformance Day
$974
(K)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell Amphitheater
Performance day
$649
Nonperformance day
$325
(L) Nonfacility Space
Performance day
$0.04/sq. ft.
Nonperformance day
$0.02/sq. ft.
(2) Reduced rental rates. When facilities are only rented on low use days (Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays) or less than five weeks in advance of the use day, the tenant shall pay a reduced rent. The reduced rental rates must cover the use day operating cost for each facility. Facility rentals by the Blaisdell Center’s in-house caterers for all events approved by the director of enterprise services will be assessed at the reduced rental rate except where the caterer’s client is a qualified nonprofit organization as defined in this article. In such situation, the caterer will be assessed the applicable nonprofit rate.
(A) Arena
Performance day
$3,788
Nonperformance day
$1,894
(B) Concert Hall
Performance day
$2,121
Nonperformance day
$1,061
(C) Exhibition Hall
Performance day
$2,473
Nonperformance day
$1,237
(D) Pikake Room
Performance day
$685
Nonperformance day
$343
(E) Hawaii Suites 1 to 12
Performance day
$69
(F) Galleria 1st floor or 2nd floor
Performance day
$230
(G) Maui Room
Performance day
$144
(H) Oahu Room
Performance day
$121
(I) Kauai Room
Performance day
$110
(J)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell
Performance day
$1,558
Nonperformance day
$779
(K)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell Amphitheater
Performance day
$520
Nonperformance day
$260
(L) Nonfacility Space
$0.04/sq. ft.
(b) Admission events. Users of facilities used for admission events shall pay the following charges as applicable:
(1) Deposits. Deposits for admission events must cover the facility use day operating cost and are due upon execution of the rental agreement:
(A) Arena and Arena Theater Configuration (1/2 arena seating and setup for stage shows)
Performance day
$3,788
Nonperformance day
$1,894
(B) Concert Hall
Performance day
$2,121
Nonperformance day
$1,061
(C) Exhibition Hall
Performance day
$2,473
Nonperformance day
$1,237
(D) Pikake Room
Performance day
$685
Nonperformance day
$343
(E) Hawaii Suites 1 to 12
Performance day
$69
(F) Galleria 1st floor or 2nd floor
Performance day
$230
(G) Maui Room
Performance day
$144
(H) Oahu Room
Performance day
$121
(I) Kauai Room
Performance day
$109
(J)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell
Performance day
$1,557
Nonperformance day
$779
(K)
Tom Moffatt
Waikiki Shell Amphitheater
Performance day
$520
Nonperformance day
$260
(L) Nonfacility Space
$0.04/sq. ft.
(2) Percentage rental rates.
The tenant shall pay the applicable deposit or percentage rent, whichever is greater, based upon gross receipts from admission charges. Percentage rent will be based upon the schedule listed below and calculated on gross receipts from admission charges for each contracted event, which performances must occur in a period of up to seven consecutive days. Each seven consecutive day period or portion thereof begins a new calculation of the percentage rent period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a nonprofit organization, as defined in § 38-6.2 , which takes a collection or donation from attendees at an event held at the Blaisdell Center or the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell, but does not charge a formal admission fee, will be charged no more than three times the minimum deposit for each performance day as facility rent.
(A) Arena.
(i) Full arena.
10 percent of gross receipts up to $150,000; plus
8.5 percent of gross receipts from $150,000.01 to $250,000; plus
7.5 percent of gross receipts from $250,000.01 to $350,000; plus
6.5 percent of gross receipts from $350,000.01 to $450,000; plus
5.5 percent of gross receipts from $450,000.01 to $550,000; plus
5 percent of gross receipts over $550,000.
(ii) Arena in theater configuration. 5 percent of gross receipts.
(iii) Should a tenant request a cap on the percentage rent as a condition of bringing to the Arena a major popular commercial event with a minimum of two consecutive performances, the director may set a rent cap as follows:
For the first two performances, the percentage rent will be calculated as prescribed in this section and the percentage rent will be capped at a total of $53,000.
For each additional performance of the event, the percentage rent will be calculated as prescribed in this section and the percentage rent will be capped at $26,500.
(B) Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell.
(i) Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell.
When the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell is rented during the months of April through August, the following percentage rates will apply:
10 percent of gross receipts up to $75,000; plus
8.5 percent of gross receipts from $75,000.01 to $150,000; plus
5 percent of gross receipts over $150,000.
When the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell is rented during the low-use months of September through March, the following percentage rates will apply:
8.5 percent of gross receipts up to $150,000; plus
5 percent of gross receipts over $150,000.
(ii) Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell Amphitheater. 5 percent of gross receipts.
(C) Concert Hall.
5 percent of gross receipts up to $500,000; plus
5 percent of gross receipts in excess of 75 percent of the weekly gross potential (based upon ticket price and salable seats). The maximum weekly percentage rent for the Concert Hall will be $40,250.
(D) Exhibition Hall. 10 percent of gross receipts.
(E) Pikake Room. 5 percent of gross receipts.
(F) Hawaii Suites, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Galleria. 5 percent of gross receipts.
(3) Net square footage rental. Net square footage is calculated by the facility in which the booth space is located. The booth space will be the area a subcontractor of the tenant has rented to present a product, service, or other commercial display. Rent will be 18 cents per net square foot per event day. A tenant shall pay the greater of the deposit, the total net square footage rental, or the percentage rental rate for each event day.
(4) Exhibition hall and meeting rooms rental for fundraisers. Where the exhibition hall and meeting rooms are rented for the presentation of a fundraising event sponsored by a nonprofit organization, a bona fide political party, which qualifies under Hawaii’s election laws, or a bona fide political candidate, who qualifies under Hawaii’s election laws, the tenant of the exhibition hall shall pay the applicable rental charge or 10 percent of the donated gross receipts collected for the event, whichever is greater; provided that a rental cap will apply which provides that the percentage rental must not exceed twice the applicable deposit; and this rental cap will not apply to the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell, arena, or the concert hall if it is used for a fundraising event.
(5) Facility use for indoor sports practice rental. When the sports surface is already installed, ordinary lighting is used, and there are no additional labor, cleanup, and air conditioning costs incurred by the city, the use of the facility for practice purposes, at the discretion of the director of enterprise services, is permissible without charge; provided that a waiver of liability is signed by the tenant.
(c) Nonperformance day rental.
(1) When renting either the exhibition hall or the Pikake Room, the tenant will be entitled to the nonperformance day rental rate for the number of days equal to the number of performance days. Any nonperformance days exceeding that number will be charged at the fixed rental rate, reduced rental rates, or deposit, as applicable, for a performance day for the facility.
(2) Any tenant renting the arena for an event which requires more than eight hours to change over the facility for that event will be charged a nonperformance day at the beginning and end of the booking.
(d) Charges for facilities and services not specified. The director of enterprise services is authorized to establish and assess reasonable rental charges for those facilities and services not specified herein.
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Published by the City and County of Honolulu through American Legal Publishing.
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