Sex businesses near Convention Center face eviction

What do you think of the city's plans to establish a special district near the Hawai'i Convention Center, displacing the adult entertainment businesses in the area? Join our discussion.

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

A plan to evict strip clubs, hostess bars and other adult businesses near the Hawai'i Convention Center won support yesterday from the city's Planning Commission, despite opposition from businesses that would have to move.

Planning Commissioners Charlie Rodgers and Brian Yahata listen to citizen input on a plan by Mayor Jeremy Harris that removes strip bars and adult entertainment businesses from the convention center district. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

The bill would prohibit adult businesses within the special district and give them three years to move.

Harris wants to create a gateway to Waikiki through the convention center area by condemning six parcels of land across the convention center on the 'ewa/mauka corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Kapi'olani Boulevard. Businesses affected include the popular strip bar Club Rock-Za, a defunct restaurant and several other businesses, including Da Hui, a surf shop that has been open for five months.

Harris has included $6 million in the city budget to buy the properties, including $250,000 for moving costs.

The proposed amendment also would establish design guidelines for zoning lots fronting major streets such as Kapi'olani Boulevard, Kalakaua Avenue, Ke'eau-moku Street, and Atkinson Drive.

About 50 people squeezed into a small meeting room at the City Hall Annex yesterday to hear testimony on the measure.

Ala Moana/Kaka'ako Neighborhood Board chairman John Breinich said the board has dealt with numerous complaints about the area under question.

Manoa Neighborhood Board member Tom Heinrich said the proposed special district would complement the city's long-term plan to operate a rapid transit bus route through Waikiki.

Doris Nakamura, representing a dozen businesses along Sheridan Street that are not associated with adult entertainment, also testified in support of the special district.

"For the past 11 years we've been invaded by liquor stores and adult businesses," Nakamura said.

Honolulu Police Maj. Darryl Perry of the department's Narcotics/Vice Division said police believe the proposed special district would curtail illegal activity in the area.

Police made 150 arrests last year at adult businesses in the surrounding area, including 71 arrests for prostitution and 79 for massage and cosmetologist licensing violations.

But several property owners, including operators of strip bars and adult video stores, complained that they were never informed of the city's plans and that the condemnation of their properties would result in a huge financial loss for them.

"All it will do is force the businesses to move to another neighborhood," said Donal Bultman, owner of adult video and lingerie stores on Kapi'olani Boulevard.

Bultman claimed that the ruling could affect up to 38 area businesses and 1,000 employees.

"A lot of employees from these clubs are afraid to come out to testify, but they are against this," Bultman said.

Planning Commission chairman Charlie Rodgers voted in support of the special district concept, but said the city needs to assist the affected businesses in moving.

"The community should make the determination on what they want, and I think they have," Rodgers said.

"But that said, the businesses have a right to move someplace else to make money."