Under pressure from lawmakers and football fans, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority will reconsider the NFL's offer to bring the Pro Bowl back to Hawai'i in 2011 and 2012 when the board meets Friday.

Kelvin Bloom, chairman of the HTA board, told state lawmakers yesterday that he thinks the board will reconsider its vote on Thursday rejecting an offer from the NFL to play the game in Aloha Stadium a week before the Super Bowl for $4 million a year in 2011 and 2012.

"The majority voted to approve the offer," said Bloom, who voted to accept the NFL's proposal. "I'd like to believe that in our next board meeting we'll have an affirmative vote ... in favor of accepting the NFL's offer. I think we can achieve that this Friday."

Four board members voted in favor of the deal and six voted against it, according to Bloom. The HTA board needs seven votes to approve any initiative. The NFL rejected a counteroffer made by the state over the weekend and the HTA board will re-vote on the original proposal Friday.

The annual NFL all-star game ended a 30-year run in Hawai'i this year and next year will be played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami a week before the Super Bowl.

The House Committee on Tourism, Culture and International Affairs held an informational briefing with the HTA to ask questions about the agency's efforts to secure the Pro Bowl for Hawai'i.

Under questioning from lawmakers, Bloom said any event, no matter how popular, is scrutinized given the difficult economic times and the fact that HTA cut its budget by $17 million last year.

"I believe the majority of the people and the majority of the board believe it's money well spent," Bloom said. "I don't think we can overlook the fact that this is a tremendous community event."

Brian McCarthy, vice president of communications for the National Football League, declined comment.

HANNEMANN STEPS IN

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asked Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann in a telephone conversation to represent him and talk with HTA members to secure the votes necessary to bring the Pro Bowl back to Hawai'i for 2011 and 2012, according to the city.

Hannemann agreed to lobby on Goodell's behalf and will be meeting with HTA board members before the Friday vote.

Hannemann, who led state contract negotiations for the Pro Bowl under Govs. John Waihee and Ben Cayetano, said the state should have assigned a higher priority to keeping the game.

The NFL announced it was moving the game two years ago, and efforts to land a pre-season contest or some other NFL sponsored event in 2010 should have been made to keep a presence here ahead of future Pro Bowl games, he said.

"I can't believe where we are now. I speak to the (NFL) commissioner on a regular basis ... (they) are just flabbergasted at this latest rejection," said Hannemann. "The NFL is not going to put another offer on the table."

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, plans to testify on Friday in favor of bringing the Pro Bowl back.

"I am glad to see that the HTA board will reconsider the NFL's proposal so we can begin working on making the Pro Bowl even better," Aiona said in a statement. "This issue affects the entire state, and I appreciate the concern of so many people throughout Hawai'i who want an agreement. ... I attended the first Pro Bowl in Hawai'i, and I will do whatever I can to make sure I haven't seen my last."

SUPER BOWL FACTOR

In rejecting the NFL's latest offer, HTA board members expressed concern about the NFL's desire to play the game a week before the Super Bowl and said they will evaluate whether the NFL's experiment in Miami will be successful.

If the NFL deems the scheduling change unsuccessful, the HTA will ask that the game be played in Hawai'i after the Super Bowl in 2011 and 2012 as part of the state's effort to seek a better offer from the NFL.

It is the second offer from the NFL that the HTA has rejected in the past two months.

In January, the board rejected an offer by the NFL to play the game in Honolulu in two of the next four years, starting in 2011. The board rejected that offer because the NFL would not say specifically in which two years the game would be played in Hawai'i.

State Rep. James Tokioka, D-15th (Lihu'e, Koloa), said he recalls a discussion he had 10 years ago with the late NFL Hall of Fame member and players union president, Gene Upshaw, about how much the Honolulu destination means to the players.

"They never wanted the game to leave Hawai'i," Tokioka said. "It's a special thing for the players."

Visitors who came specifically to attend the Pro Bowl, played at Aloha Stadium Feb. 8, spent $28.6 million, compared with $28.07 million in 2007, according to a study conducted by Market Trends Pacific Research.

The game brings in an average of $28 million in visitor spending to the state every year it is played here.

This year's game, won by the NFC, 30-21, generated $2.9 million in state excise, hotel and car-rental taxes, compared with $2.5 million in 2008, the study said.

There were 49,958 fans in the stands at Aloha Stadium for the Pro Bowl this year, compared with 49,621 in 2008.

Negotiations to have the game played in Hawai'i after 2012 are ongoing.