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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, January 27, 2009

BUSINESS BRIEFS
Attendance falls at annual home show

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Despite a decline in attendance, BIA-Hawaii officials were pleased with the overall turnout for the 2009 BIA Home Building and Remodeling Show at Blaisdell Arena, which ended Sunday.

TJET SUN | BIA-Hawaii

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The 15th Annual BIA Home Building & Remodeling Show in Honolulu concluded its four-day run Sunday with total attendance down from last year's event.

The Building Industry Association of Hawaii reported that 18,119 people attended the event over four days, which was a decline of 17.3 percent compared with last year's show.

Still, Karen Nakamura, BIA-Hawaii CEO said, she was "pleasantly surprised" at the turnout among consumers seeking information about improving their homes.

According to the trade association, the most popular exhibitors showcased kitchen and bathroom remodeling, windows, roofs and energy saving solar products and services.

The BIA-Hawaii represents 500 members, including contractors, suppliers, Realtors, architects and financial institutions.


ECONOMISTS SPEAK ON HOUSING MARKET

The director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies and Bank of Hawaii's chief economist will be the featured speakers next month at a forum on the housing market's role in the broader economic slowdown.

The Feb. 13 event, sponsored by the Bank of Hawaii, is titled, "Building Homes and Communities in a Time of Change."

Harvard's Nicolas Retsinas will share his views on what it will take to get the housing market on track. Retsinas was a member of then-President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, and served in the Department of Housing and Urban Development as assistant secretary for housing, and federal housing commissioner during former President Clinton's administration.

BOH chief economist Paul Brewbaker will discuss how the private and public sectors can work to create more affordable housing. Brewbaker is a director of the Hawai'i Economic Association, a member of the American Economic Association and a chairman of the Hawaii Council on Revenues.

The event is set for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Hawaii Prince Hotel. For reservations, go to www.ersvp.com/r/bohfeb13.


STARWOOD RENEWS TIES WITH INTERVAL

Starwood Vacation Ownership Inc. has renewed its affiliation with Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services.

The multiyear agreement extends the relationship first established in 2000 and includes 20 existing resorts, as well as properties constructed during the term of the agreement.

Starwood Vacation Ownership has three resorts in Hawai'i: the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas, the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas North and the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

"Most of the world's major lodging brands are included in Interval's quality system. It's important to be affiliated with a great exchange company that has an entire roster of what we believe are comparable developers, and in turn, comparable resorts. That's a significant component of our success," said Sergio Rivera, chief executive officer of SVO.