HONOLULU -- It's Pro Bowl week and thousands of NFL players and football fans are flocking to Hawaii. But next year, the big event heads to the mainland and Hawaii's depressed tourism industry will lose a huge money maker.

The Pro Bowl has been held at Aloha Stadium since 1980. That's 29 years.

It has meant thousands of tourists and millions of dollars for the state's visitor industry. But next year, the big event goes east to Dolphin Stadium in Miami Florida.

And Aloha Stadium will be silent the weekend after the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Still, The Pro Bowl is here this year, and the tourism industry looks forward to a desperately needed boost.

"The economic impact of the pro bowl has been in the double digit millions year after year," said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert.

The big event raked in $28 million last year.

"So that is a huge economic impact here in the islands, in direct spending, but also in ancillary spending," Wienert said.

Traditionally, more than half the football fans attending the Pro Bowl, come to Hawaii specifically for the game. Last year, that number was 80 percent.

Add to that the publicity seen by more than 12 million Super Bowl viewers.

"We see pro bowl commercials and telling people that the pro bowl's going to be in Hawaii and that we've got the Hawaii visuals there. It was fabulous," said Wienert.

But the big money maker moves to Miami next year.

"There's no question there's going to be a void," Wienert said.

"I think it stinks man," said Jim Sparks, a visitor from California.

Even visiting football fans in Waikiki were unanimous about their feelings on the departing Pro Bowl.

"When you think about the pro bowl, you think about Hawaii," Sparks said.

"One of the reasons why the NFL has it here, is their players would like to come to Hawaii to relax, have fun in the sun," said Lauifi Tauiliili, visitor from Seattle.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is hopeful the Pro Bowl will return to Hawaii in 2011.

The NFL and Hawaii Tourism Authority have been negotiating the future of the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

The NFL suggests the game take place in Hawaii for two out of the next four years. The HTA wants more concrete dates. It proposes the next two Pro Bowls are played in Hawaii.