Approvals Sought For 65 Acre Central Maui Park In The Master Planned Waiale Community

Approvals sought for 65 Acre Central Maui Park By Wendy Osher Article from: Mauinow.com The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will review a request this Friday for the acquisition of land for park use in  Waikapu on Maui. The park would be part of the 2550-unit master planned Waiale community, proposed for development along the  Kuihelani Highway, west of Pomaikai Elementary School, the Legends, and Na Hoku Subdivision. The 65 acre parcel is currently owned by Alexander & Baldwin and consists of unimproved fallow land. The company  has submitted a request to the State Land Use Commission for re-classification of the property from agricultural to  urban use. A $9 million appropriation was made by the 2011 State Legislature in general obligation bonds for acquisition and  development of the park. Improvements envisioned for the property include the development of a variety of playing fields, parking, restrooms, and other facilities.

Exciting News: Three New Restaurants Opening Soon

Three New Maui Restaurants Opening Soon By Susan Halas Article From: Mauinow.com Fleetwood’s Restaurant and Pub on Front Street has leased over 10,000 sq ft of second floor and rooftop dining  at the old Planet Hollywood Building, and also plans to offer retail liquor sales on the ground floor. According to  Project Manager Jonathan Todd, the new ocean view eatery located across the street from the sea wall in Lahaina  has received two liquor licenses: one for upstairs service and a separate permit for ground floor retail sales. He  said the dining areas are expected to seat hundreds will eventually be open for lunch and dinner. He also  anticipates that hundreds will be hired to staff the new establishment. Fronting the new venture is long time celebrity musician Mick Fleetwood who has Maui homes upcountry and in  Napili. Fleetwood’s On Front St. Lahaina The 10,000 sq ft Fleetwood’s on Front St in Lahaina hopes to open in the  second quarter of 2012. The eatery headed by well known musician and long time Maui resident Mick  Fleetwood will occupy the 2nd floor, roof and portions of the ground floor of the former Planet Hollywood  building across from the sea wall. The management says facilities will include a restaurant, pub and liquor store.  Photo courtesy Fleetwood’s on Front St. “Mick’s been here for a while and he gets the needs of Maui,” said Todd. He said the menu is still taking shape  but in its final incarnation “will be approachable yet sophisticated. We want it to have family appeal.” The project manager said that HJP Restaurant Advisors of Santa Barbara has been retained to coordinate the  opening. “They’ll be on site 24/7 until then and as long after we open as necessary.” Todd said that Fleetwood’s is  currently seeking resumes from those qualified for general manager, chef and other senior level positions.  “When top staff is in place they will be responsible for filling the other positions.” Those interested in submitting resumes of any kind should follow the links posted on line at  www.FleetwoodsOnFrontSt.com and www.Facebook.com/Fleetwoods. He indicated that “hiring preference  will be given to Maui residents.” Todd confirmed that the restaurant had signed a long term lease. “We have options for decades. This is not an  in and out thing,” he said. Waterfront will come to the Maalea Harbor Shops in the space formerly occupied by the Maalaea Grill. Waterfront  is expected to open by Easter of next year. Gary Smith, one of the owners of the Waterfront Restaurant located for more than 20 years at the Milowai  Condominium in Maalaea announced that his family has found a home for “the new and improved” Waterfront  at the Maalaea Harbor Shops next door to the Maui Ocean Center. Smith said that the Waterfront will occupy the 5,000 sq ft harbor view space which formerly held the Maalaea  Grill. He expects key personnel like Chef Bob Cambra and Bartender Don Goodwin will soon return, joined by  veteran wait and kitchen staff. Given the larger size of the new quarter he said staffing may eventually expand. The new location has several features he thinks patrons will find attractive such as more parking, a private  dining room and larger, more modern quarters. The Waterfront, he said, is anxiously awaiting its liquor license  and hopes to open by Easter of next year. “We’ll start with dinner, Smith said, “and as soon as nearby roadway improvements in the harbor area are  finished, we’ll open for lunch. Our family, my mother Donna, my brother Rick and I are very excited to get a  quality restaurant in a key location.” Fabiani’s Italian Bakery and Pizzeria expects to open by Christmas of this year serving family style Italian  specialies including pizza, baked goods and pasta. The 3,000 sq ft eatery has indoor and outdoor seating  and an 18 seat bar. Fabiani’s Bakery & Pizzeria is coming to the South Maui Center. The new Italian restaurant is located in Unit  101 at 95 Lipoa Street in Kihei. Owners are Lorenzo Fabiani, former maitre’d at Matteo’s and his wife Michelle, former pastry chef at Longhi’s,  while Joe Caccamo, formerly of Matteo’s and Capische heads the kitchen. Improvements are underway to  3,000 sq ft space that includes indoor and outdoor seating for about 120 patrons and an 18 stool bar. The eatery will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring homemade Italian-style baked items and  other specialties such as pizza, panini and pasta. Until a liquor license is in place BYOB is the policy of the  house. A soft opening is slated for December 16. “We hope to be up and going by Christmas,” said Lorenzo. “We are very excited to offer Italian fare in the  heart of Kihei.”

Reminder: Na Hale O Maui Homebuyer Seminar Saturday December 3rd

Just a Reminder….
Na Hale O Maui Homebuyer Seminar
When: Today, Saturday December 3, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Where: Good Shepherd Church Parish Hall, Wailuku
This is a great opportunity to learn some of the basics of getting the right mortgage for you and you family. `

Strong Growth Continues As Total Expenditures By Visitors To Maui Grew 13.1% For The First 10 Months of 2011

Strong Growth Continues in Visitor Spending and Arrivals| By Sonia Isotov Article from: MauiNow.com Total expenditures by visitors who came to Hawai’i in the first 10 months of 2011 grew 14.8%, compared to the  same period in 2010, to $10.3 billion, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism  Authority. On Maui, total expenditures by visitors in the first 10 months of 2011 grew 13.1%, compared to the same period  in 2010, to $2.5 billion. Visitors in October 2011 spent $20 more per person per day than last October. Visitors to Maui actually spent $6  less per person per day than last October. Total visitor days for all visitors increased 4.1% and total arrivals (+2.6%) continued to exceed last year at  6,034,104 visitors. On Maui, total visitor days for all visitors increased 3.6 % and total arrivals (+3.8%) also exceed  last year at 1,808,350. Total arrivals to Maui in October 2011 dropped 2% compared to a year ago. Growth in arrivals to Maui from  Canada (+3.2%) and Japan (6.9%) were offset by lower arrivals from US West (-7.1%) and US East (-1.1%). For the  first 10 months of 2011, arrivals to Maui from Canada (+17.2%), US East (+1.3%) and US West (+0.8%) increased,  but arrivals from Japan (-3.1%) declined compared to year-to-date 2010. “We are also pleased with continued growth from our international markets, including the second positive month  of arrivals from Japan since the devastating earthquake and tsunami,” said Mike McCartney, president and chief  executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority today in written statement. “New and additional airlift through 2012 also demonstrates that demand for travel to the Hawaiian islands  remains high, and is a good indicator of momentum for the visitor industry in the coming year.” More detailed October and 2011 year-to-date statistics for individual islands and the state, can be found on the  Hawaii Tourism Authority website.

Update On The Proposed Downtown Kihei Project Makai Of The Existing Pi'ilani Village Shopping Center

Developer Plans Downtown Kihei Article From: The Maui Weekly Article By:Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez Imagine South Maui developers getting applause at a community meeting when they proposed a 150-room hotel, a  state-of-the-art HD movie theater, restaurants, retail shops and a pedestrian plaza. In what may have been a unique moment in the history of development in Kihei, that is exactly what happened at the conclusion of a presentation at a Kihei Community Association (KCA) meeting by Jay E. Krigsman, executive vice president  of Krausz Companies Inc., after he provided an update on the company’s proposed Downtown Kihei project makai of  the existing Pi’ilani Village Shopping Center, which is also owned by Krausz. He said the goal of the company was to “Create a fun and exciting place to work, shop and play.” The Downtown Kihei project will be located on both side of Pi’ikea Street, bordered by South Kihei Road and Lipoa Drive. The anchors for Downtown Kihei will include a “Cinetopia” movie theater, where all screens will be digital with living room  La-Z-Boy-style theater seating, a sit-down restaurant, wine bar, live music, local musicians and local art displays. In addition, the project is planned to incorporate a hotel that will serve both locals and the businessperson who may be  in town for a few days. Because the hotel is incorporated into the Downtown Kihei design, hotel guests will be able to walk  to the shops, theater and restaurants. When it comes to traffic and streets, Krigsman said that Downtown Kihei will consist of a series of streets and a plaza to  create a place where one can spend family time. The design offers wide sidewalks, seating areas, a stage and a few vertical  streets not necessary for traffic flow, which can be closed off for farmers’ markets, health fairs and other community functions. Parking is primarily in the back of the buildings in shaded areas not visible or prominent from the street. The goal, said Krigsman, is “to create streets where people can walk.” Following Krigsman’s presentation, KCA President Jon Miller moderated and participated in a panel with the developer and  South Maui County Councilmember Don Couch. Couch reported that he supports legislation that would give the Urban Design Review Board (UDRB) expanded authority in  reviewing development projects, including Special Management Area (SMA) permits. Currently, the requirement for an SMA permit for development makai of Pi’ilani Highway gives groups like the KCA more  opportunity to weigh in, because projects are proposed in the SMA area. The same clout does not apply for projects mauka of the highway, unless zoning changes are requested. Couch would  end that distinction and require all projects to receive UDRB approval. Miller agreed, saying, “The issue now is there is very little protection above the SMA project area.” When questioned about opportunities for locally owned businesses to locate shops in Downtown Kihei, Krigsman said  that costs for the project continue to grow as delays in the permit and approval process drag on. “The intent is to have an eclectic mix of national and local stores,” he said. “The county is making it so expensive to turn a  shovel of dirt, that we have to reflect it in the rent.” With a solid audience turnout, the KCA moved briskly to provide an opportunity for state Rep. George Fontaine to present  an overview of activities he has been involved with since the last month’s meeting. These included a meeting with Ed Reinhart, president of Maui Electric Company (MECO), to advocate for an alternate plan  for the utility’s proposed 70-foot metal poles along the mauka side of Pi’ilani Highway from the new power substation near  the intersection of Ke Ali’i Alanui Road. Fontaine reported that MECO is now reconsidering that plan and will hold a community meeting in Kihei in the near future to  discuss potential alternatives. At this last meeting of the year held on the Lipoa Street campus of the Kihei Charter School, the KCA also unanimously elected  its new board of directors for 2012. Those elected were Andrew Beerer, Steve Cordova, Michael Di Bella, Daniel Kanehele, Jon  Miller, Mike Moran, Bob Richardson, Patricia Stillwell, Greg Straton and Jorge Tioga. For more information about future KCA meetings and activities, visit gokihei.org.

Clint Hansen Receives Unanimous Approval for Maui Paintball

Tuesday was a very special day for Clint Hansen as the Maui Planning Department gave unanimous  approval granting his special use permit for Maui Paintball. Click here  http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/555590/Planning-commission-approves-permi t-for-paintball-facility.html?nav=10 for the article published in yesterday’s Maui News. Mahalo Nui Loa to everyone for their ongoing support. Happy Thanksgiving from our Ohana to Yours.

Hawaii Hotel Room Revenue 12.8% Better Than The Same Period Last Year

Hotels see increase in room rates Article From: The Maui Weekly The Maui News – Maui’s hotels were two-thirds full in September, not unusual for one of the dullest months of  the year in the visitor industry, but hotel operators were able to boost their rack rates by more than $15 a night. That contributed to a sizable increase in the amount of money coming in. So far this year, and despite some  slackness in arrival numbers, Hawai’i's lodging business is doing better than last year, and much better than it  was in 2009. The Hawai’i Hotel Flash Report released by Hospitality Advisors last week said that through nine months of 2011,  island hotels have reaped room revenue of $2.14 billion. That is 12.8 percent better than in 2010 and 20.9  percent better than in 2009. But it was not equal to the $2.41 achieved in the first three quarters of 2006. For the year-to-date, Maui had the highest average daily rate ($246.52), up 9.3 percent. Occupancy rates are  up about the same amount in each county so far this year, a somewhat surprising result considering the turmoil  caused by Japan’s earthquake in March and the continuing uncertainty in general economic terms. Each county is up around 3 percentage points in occupancy. Maui is up to 71.2 percent from 68.8 percent last  year.