Touting the benefits of a public and private partnership, University of Hawai'i leaders welcomed the beginning of the future.

The Clarence T.C. Ching Field was dedicated yesterday morning in front of university officials, coaches and state legislators, marking a new chapter in the university's athletic makeover. The $1.2 million turf replacement on the former Cooke Field is the first phase of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, and the project was ushered forward from a $5 million donation last year from the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation.

"The most beautiful attribute of this field is the fact it represents a terrific public and private partnership among the state Legislature, the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and the university," University of Hawai'i-Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said. "Investing in facility is meeting the goal of making UH Manoa as a destination of choice."

The new artificial playing surface, which includes the school's "H" logo at midfield and the school name in the end zones, will play host to the UH football team's spring practice opening March 30. The field renovation was the first phase of complex work — which will later include construction of a 5,000-seat stadium with locker rooms and coaches offices.

"The AstroTurf that was put in in 1983 had a 10-year warranty, so we went 25 years with the field that was supposed to last 10," athletic director Jim Donovan said of the original surface. "Of course, there was nothing here the last four, five years but asphalt. It's not very easy for people to utilize that."

The new field will welcome UH athletic teams, band, ROTC and the community. UH cross country and track and field coach Carmyn James said the new field will make her competitions a first-class act. Aside from its usual track meets, UH hosted the WAC championships in 2005 and the U.S. Masters Nationals in 2004.

"Despite the fact the track is a world-class track, it didn't look very presentable with the infield the way it was," James said of the past conditions. "It was just an eyesore."

Hawai'i football coach Greg McMackin said the field is "the staring point of what we want to do in the future."

"For us in football, it's going to allow us to come down when it gets rainy and won't ruin the grass fields," McMackin said. "And we'll always practice on Fridays down here. It's going to be a great addition for us."

Aside from UH sporting events, Donovan hopes high school football teams could use the new field in the fall and track teams in the spring.

"Our intent is to get other people to come in here to use it," Donovan said. "It's good for them, it's good for us because you're bringing athletes onto our campus. In the very least it'll encourage high school kids to consider going to college, and if they're really good athletes maybe it'll help them decide to come to UH."

The Ching Foundation's donation, believed to be the largest in UH athletics history, couldn't have come at a better time, said officials and leaders.

"The current time of economic hardship makes the gift more remarkable and important," House Speaker Calvin Say said. "More than ever, philanthropic donations are needed. More than ever, philanthropic organizations are finding it harder to give."

State Sen. Shan Tsutsui, D-4th (Kahului), the vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said the complex project is special in "the matching of public and private partners." He hopes by the completion of the project, "lower campus wouldn't be recognizable to many in five years."

"We just played our role in the state legislature to try to maximize state dollars," Tsutsui said. "It's a good example of what you do when you all work together, have the same vision.

"I'd like to see more of this happening. Given the tough economic times, it makes the most sense to partner up whenever you can."