15 September 2023
LAWRENCE (KSNT) – The Kansas Jayhawks will be playing in Honolulu as the Maui Invitational relocates due to devastating wildfires last month.
Kelly Pawlak, a spokeswoman for the Maui Invitational, said in a press release that while the upcoming tournament is still on, it will have a different venue. With the Lahaina Civic Center, the previous location of the invitational, still being used for wildfire recovery efforts, the 2023 tournament will be moved to the Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa from Nov. 20 to 22.
“While we have to move this year’s Tournament off of Maui, we are determined to celebrate and honor the culture and traditions that make this event so special,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE, the operator of the Maui Invitational. “Throughout this process, we’ve seen the spirit of ‘ohana in action. Thank you to Governor Josh Green, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Mayor Richard Bissen as well as the staff at Chaminade University of Honolulu and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa for working tirelessly with us to keep this year’s Tournament in Hawai‘i.”
If you have already bought tickets for the Maui Invitational, they will be honored and located in similar seat at the Stan Sheriff Center. More tickets will go on sale starting in early October. Those who have purchased travel packages for the tournament will be offered comparable travel packages with beach hotels in Honolulu.
“We are disappointed that we could not make the Lahaina Civic Center available for the Maui Invitational this year, but we are thankful the Tournament is staying in Hawai‘i,” said Richard Bissen, Mayor of Maui. “We appreciate everything the Maui Invitational is doing to help Maui and its residents.”
Tickets for the Maui Invitational can be found by clicking here. To keep up with breaking news in northeast Kansas, click here.