Actually the Hawaiian teams all want a regional there too! They have done a great job of growing the program out there. Four years ago there were two teams from Hawaii, this year there were eight.
So if they keep growing in a couple of years we should see a Hawaiian regional. Growth there is difficult because the Islands are not all that technically oriented and they don't have a lot of resources in the way of machining etc. that we take for granted.
Generally FIRST wants 20 local teams before they start a regional. However if there is enough demand from the Mid-West Teams they might make an exception in this case.
SO all you teams that want to go to Hawaii, start making some noise about it! Bring it up at the Team Forum, let FIRST know just how concerned you are about your poor deprived brethern to the Far West who don't have a regional of their own.
Then volunteer to help the locals set it up, because they won't have the support base to draw on yet to help with set-up and all those other nitty-gritty little details.
BTW I recommend that the regional schedule start at either the north (that one's for you dlavery) or south end and work it's way up or down the West Coast from there. That way the Staff can get adjusted to the climate changes gradually.