When Mike McCartney, the new Hawai'i Tourism Authority president and CEO, emerged through a doorway soon after his selection yesterday, chairman Kelvin Bloom noted, "your timing couldn't be more impeccable."

Indeed, after tossing around the hot potato that has been the Pro Bowl contract for months, you understand how the HTA members might be ecstatic about having someone to hand it off to for the future.

On the day the HTA voted 9-1 to accept the NFL's offer to return in 2011 and '12, ending months of sometimes fractious negotiations, there was no missing the fact that keeping the game here at a price the state can afford will be among McCartney's major tasks.

Not the only one, to be sure, but definitely a major one.

Part of the problem with the Pro Bowl issue this time was that the previous HTA head, Rex Johnson, was forced out and Lloyd Unebasami had to jump in for the interim. Unfortunately such are the nuances and demands of the Pro Bowl account that it isn't something that can be mastered, even by those with the best of intentions, overnight.

On one hand, the NFL is the 800-pound gorilla and a certain nimbleness is required when it wants to throw its weight around. On the other, there are points when a determined stand is called for. Such as when the NFL offered a basically take-it-or-leave-it two games in four years deal without committing to which years they would be. As one HTA member put it, "we don't want to be treated like coconuts."

For his $240,000 annual salary, McCartney's charge from the HTA should be to see that dialogue flows smoothly both ways. That groundwork toward the next contract begins immediately and when it is time to vote on another one that the mayor and Lt. Gov. need not feel compelled to jump in.

Beyond the NFL, there are PGA and LPGA events to be saved. Mostly, though, the job calls for someone of vision and enterprise that can bring people and ideas together.

McCartney has Pro Bowl experience in the past with the HTA and State Senate. He was involved in negotiating the 2002-'04 contract and the installation of FieldTurf at Aloha Stadium.

Less grand, at one time he also was against UH building an on-campus arena of larger than 6,000 seats. The one that, thankfully, eventually became 10,300-seat Stan Sheriff Center.

These are challenging, austere times. The hope is that the timing of McCartney's arrival will, indeed, prove "impeccable."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.