Developer Centex Destination Properties reported selling out the first phase at $70 million on Saturday after previously soliciting reservations.

Michael Kosmin, vice president of sales and marketing for the Hawai'i division of Dallas-based Centex, said the company was thrilled at the response. A second phase is scheduled to be released for sale in February.

The resort home project is one of several that developers have targeted to the upper echelon of mainly second-home buyers who helped propel sales of homes at Hawai'i resorts to $2.7 billion last year.

At $2 million, the average price at Hali'i Kai is about double Hawai'i's 2004 resort home sale average of $960,480, which was a new record and included sales of existing and new homes, according to market researcher Ricky Cassiday.

Analyst raises Maui Land shares to 'hold' from 'sell'

Shares of Maui Land & Pineapple Co Inc. were raised to ``hold'' from ``sell'' today by analyst Ivan Feinseth at Matrix USA.

MLP's stock closed up 72 cents a share at $33.60 on the American Stock Exchange.

NCL crew member takes year off to pursue Olympic dream

Pride of Aloha crew member Al Schiller is taking a year off from his job to train for a spot on the U.S. Olympic speed skating team.

The Alpena, Mich., native is training in Milwaukee where the speed skating trials begin next month for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy. If Schiller's times are fast enough, he'll have a chance to qualify for the U.S. National Team in December. That would give him a shot at the Olympic trials.

Schiller, who works as a butler on the Pride of Aloha, was given a year off by the ship's owner, Norwegian Cruise Lines. "We are excited for Al and wish him the best of luck," said Robert Kritzman, NCL's executive vice president and managing director of Hawaii operations for the cruise line.