Posted on: Sunday, December 28, 2003
KO OLINA
Resort shows fresh face of opportunity
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| Studying with Ko Olina's help Les Harris, above right, is one of 180 mostly Leeward O'ahu residents to receive scholarship money from the master developer of Ko Olina. Though Harris lives in Hawai'i Kai with his wife and four children, he grew up in Honokai Hale and works at the neighboring resort as a security officer and musician. He plans to use part of the $2,500 scholarship award to take music theory classes that will benefit his work with Taz Vegas, who is Harris' guitar-playing partner in the duo Kalaeloa. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Preserving old traditions
Kekoa Kaapu Jr. grew up on the opposite end of O'ahu from Ko Olina, amid taro ponds and grass houses built by his grandfather, David of Punalu'u, also known as David Kaapuawa-okamehameha. Kaapu, son of the late City Councilman Kekoa Kaapu, saw an opportunity at Ko Olina about a year ago to demonstrate the cultural tradition that he grew up with and earns a living from — weaving coconut-frond hats. More visitors drawn to the resort would help his endeavor. "I'd like to stay at Ko Olina," he said. "For the most part while I've been out there, it's been pretty quiet." Lori Wong, left, has worked for Ko Olina Golf Club since a year before the course opened in 1990. In the time she advanced from a secretary to human resources director, she has seen the West O'ahu resort grow painstakingly slowly. But each time a new element — hotel, homes, time-share, marina — was added, business improves. "We've increased traffic a lot," she said, looking forward to perhaps the biggest round of development at the resort next year. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Helping resort employer grow Lori Wong, left, has worked for Ko Olina Golf Club since a year before the course opened in 1990. In the time she advanced from a secretary to human resources director, she has seen the West O'ahu resort grow painstakingly slowly. But each time a new element — hotel, homes, time-share, marina — was added, business improves. "We've increased traffic a lot," she said, looking forward to perhaps the biggest round of development at the resort next year. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser |
The West O'ahu resort has probably the greatest, most diverse concentration of planned commercial development in 2004.
Ko Olina master developer Jeff Stone said about $400 million in construction is projected to break ground, creating thousands of jobs, millions of dollars in spending and new amenities for the state's No. 1 industry, tourism.
It would be the biggest round of development at the largely undeveloped master-planned resort that broke ground in 1986, stalled in the early 1990s and regained momentum after its acquisition by Stone and partners in 1998.
"The potential is so endless right now," said Lori Wong, a human resources director at Ko Olina Golf Club who has seen the resort evolve since the golf course opened in 1990.
Among the projects slated to begin next year are the aquarium and commercial village, a combination 250-room hotel and 150-room condominium to be managed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., 320 luxury homes by Centex Homes, a 70-slip marina expansion and a 190-unit second phase of Marriott's time-share.
Kekoa Kaapu Jr., a coconut leaf weaver and son of the late former city Councilman Kekoa Kaapu, is one person who anticipates benefiting from the spending associated with so much activity.
Kaapu has practiced his craft for visitors at the resort for nearly a year, but he said business has been slow. If the projects draw more tourists or new residents, Kaapu figures his potential to spread some Hawaiian culture and generate sales will improve.
"I think the opportunities out there are going to be great, and I'd certainly like to be part of it," said Kaapu, who has woven mementoes for tourists in Waikiki for 25 years.
Les Harris, 26, also sees part of his future tied to the resort, where he has been a security officer for three years and plays 'ukulele twice a week at Kolohe's Bar & Grill in Marriott's time-share.
Harris, who grew up in nearby Honokai Hale, said the resort has "brought me to a whole different level." He got his diving certification through Ko Olina, and recently received a $2,500 scholarship from a training fund the resort developer established as a condition for receiving $75 million in state tax credits to build the aquarium.
Harris plans to study fire and environmental emergency response at Honolulu Community College, as well as music theory. And he expects to continue working at Ko Olina in some capacity.
"Somehow, I'm going to be tied in over here," he said. "It gives a lot of people here hope."
Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8065.
