RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Little League baseball teaches young people the advantages of teamwork and healthy competition and promotes exercise, physical well-being, and a healthy, drug-free lifestyle; and

WHEREAS, Little League baseball is the largest organized youth sports program in the world, with nearly three million participating youth aged five to eighteen; and

WHEREAS, the Little League baseball organization was founded to develop citizenship, discipline, teamwork, and physical well-being in young baseball players; and

WHEREAS, each season, Little League players promise to play fair and, whether they win or lose, strive to do their best; and

WHEREAS, hosting an international Little League baseball tournament in Hawaii would have an affirmative impact on tourism and the state economy and would promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle for our youth; and

WHEREAS, hosting a Little League tournament here would generate good publicity and international media coverage and reinforce Hawaii as an attractive visitor destination; and

WHEREAS, tournament games could be played on all of the islands, promoting tourism and stimulating the economy throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, the tournament could host youth teams traveling to Hawaii from the west coast, as well as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Philippines, and other Pacific Asian countries; and

WHEREAS, coaches, family members, and fans would accompany the teams for the tournament, infusing money into local county economies; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Hawaii Tourism Authority are requested to convene a work group of interested parties to examine the feasibility of hosting an international Pacific Asian Little League baseball championship tournament in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature requests that the work group include representatives from:

(2) The Hawaii Tourism Authority;

(3) The Hawaii baseball youth leagues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group is requested to convene no later than August 1, 2005, and the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism or the Director's designee is requested to serve as chair of the work group; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in consultation with the Hawaii Tourism Authority is requested to report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006, with its findings and recommendations, and any necessary implementing legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism who in turn is requested to transmit copies to youth baseball leagues and any other interested parties as designated by the Director.

Report Title:

Requesting the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to convene a work group of interested parties to examine the feasibility of hosting an international Pacific Asian Little League baseball championship tournament in Hawaii.