Change is good - when the time is right and when it drives progress toward worthwhile goals.

Neither seems to be the case with the proposal to transfer control of Aloha Stadium to the University of Hawai'i, with the athletics department to benefit from profits drawn from rentals and concessions.

If the goal is to direct more revenue to UH programs, that could have been achieved without entirely reinventing the wheel, as House Bill 2429 tries to do.

HB 2429 has cleared three committees and is about to move on to the critical review of the House Finance Committee, which is still sorting out which bills to hear.

Memo to Finance: Don't bother with this one.

The idea is to create a new corporation to govern the stadium, replacing the Aloha Stadium Authority. The bill's supporters believe an authority named the University of Hawai'i Stadium Corp. could better capitalize on the current fever of support for UH athletics.

Russ Saito, state comptroller, is doubtful: The upheaval is more likely to distract from finishing needed repairs.

"Once again," Saito said in his testimony, "change to achieve this purpose appears to be change for change's sake." That's it, in a nutshell.

Legislators propose that the state retain responsibility for renovations of the badly deteriorating facility while letting UH athletics pocket the profits from fees and charges for the stadium's use. Why not simply direct more of the revenues toward athletics?

The more logical time to convey control of a facility to UH would be when UH can handle its upkeep as well. By that time, a proposal to replace the stadium with a new venue near UH-West O'ahu may have progressed. It would make more sense to create a UH-centered governing body for that stadium, rather than this one.

In this case, the sentiment is nice but the expression is silly. It's Valentine's Day, so it feels warm and fuzzy to telegraph our collective caring to Manoa athletes.

Yes, we love you, UH Rainbows and Warriors. But this isn't the way to show it.