On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to discuss an interim, dirt racetrack for undeveloped Kalaeloa Park Land, the selection of Matt Elliott as the new Athletics Director for the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, and what he’s most proud of when it comes to being a father.
Start your engines
An interim, dirt racetrack is approved for undeveloped Kalaeloa Park Land! At Mayor Blangiardi’s final 2025 townhall last night at Kalani High School, Director Laura H. Thielen was joined by Managing Director Mike Formby and the Mayor to deliver the good news.
“Car people are passionate and they’ve been deprived by not having a facility,” added Mayor Blangiardi. “To provide a recreational venue where people can go there and have fun and just exercise their hobby or interest, if you will, is a good thing.”
The site of this interim racetrack is located on roughly 20-acres of undeveloped park land at the corner of Independence Avenue and Coral Sea Road. Along with providing the motorsports community with a much-anticipated recreational resource, after the former Hawaii Raceway Park shut down nearly 20 years ago in March 2006, the hope is that having a proper place for motorsports will help reduce illegal street racing and off-roading.
A new Athletics Director in Mānoa
Matt Elliott has been selected by University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel to serve as the next Athletics Director for UH Mānoa, following an extensive national search. The appointment is subject to approval by the UH Board of Regents at a special meeting that is expected to take place on June 16.
“He’s had a front row seat in what was a great athletic program for a long period of time, held all those positions, understands so many things about a really well-run athletic department, about the world of college sports, and about the projections in to the future,” said Mayor Blangiardi. “Being an athletic director in today’s world is a real challenging and demanding job and I think he’s up for it.”
Elliott brings to UH 13 years of experience in athletics administration at UCLA. Most recently, he served as the Bruins’ Chief Strategy Officer from 2022 to 2024.
Happy Father’s Day
Mayor Blangiardi is a father of three.
When asked what his proudest moment is as a father, he replied, “I’m proud that they’re now in a place where I can identify who they are as adults in the people they’ve become and the parents they’ve become.”
Mayor Blangiardi is also a grandfather to six young keiki.
From all of us at the City and County of Honolulu, Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures across O‘ahu!
