Vision Insights has been awarded a contract to conduct a community and economic impact report on the largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders, according to the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture Commission on Monday.
Commission Chair Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā said he anticipates a draft report on Aug.15, which will include an event evaluation of the 10-day festival, identification of community and economic impacts, and calculation of the state's return on investment.
Hawaiʻi hosted FestPAC for the first time last month, inviting more than 2,000 Pacific Islanders from 26 nations and territories to celebrate their culture through dance, music and other cultural activities.
The state had budgeted $20 million for the festival, and the local firm Gravitas Pasifika will add up the amount spent.
During a Monday meeting, Kaʻanāʻanā said he's not worried about if FestPAC spending exceeded the budget.
"I think there was some concern early on in the middle of the festival and everything was happening and not everybody had a grasp of what was, but I want to say I think we can put to bed that notion," he said.
"I don't have any concerns about overages. I don't have any concerns about damage to the dorms. I don't have concerns about damage to the convention center. My understanding is our walkthroughs were all clean."
Festival planners and the heads of Pacific Island delegations will fill out a questionnaire that will go into the economic impact report.
