When Makaha Resort was shuttered for renovation in 2011, nearly 100 employees were left jobless, their futures uncertain. That renovation never came to pass and instead, the property was sold and later razed in 2014.
So the announcement of a
$300 million joint venture that would establish a new resort and spa, as well as a world-class golf course in Makaha, was no doubt welcome news for many in Makaha Valley.
Pacific Links International, which purchased the adjacent golf course and later acquired the entire resort property, and local developer Stanford Carr Develop-
ment, are partners in the venture, and have spent the past three years planning the project, which would provide the area with a much-needed economic boost.
The master-planned destination resort community will harken back to the vision of businessman Chinn Ho, who opened the original Makaha Resort and Spa in 1969. Over the decades, the resort became a favorite of tourists and locals alike, and we would hope that future hotel accommodations and amenities remain within reach for kamaaina.
While it would be easy to dismiss the project as just another playground for the rich, the impact that it will have on the economically distressed area cannot be ignored. The Waianae Coast will surely benefit from an infusion of higher-paying jobs as well as the eventual return of resort guests who once patronized area businesses along Farrington Highway.
Developers tout the project will employ more than 500 local residents, which will be a major boon for the area.
For residents fortunate enough to gain future employment there, eliminating the hours wasted in eastbound traffic to Honolulu and beyond would greatly improve their quality of life.
Tucked away along Makaha Valley Road, the original Makaha Resort and Spa didn’t spawn gentrification of the area, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a concern today. The area is surrounded by a mix of older neighborhoods with newer developments popping up, the majority of which are still considered affordable — by Hawaii standards, of course. Every effort must be made to keep home ownership in Makaha attainable, and not just for those who can afford to live in gated communities.
Partners in the joint venture so far seem to be doing right by the community, involving area leaders such as Brian Keaulana in the planning phase. The project will include Hawaiian cultural values in the planning, and developers say the overall plan will incorporate the ancient Hawaiian
“ahupuaa” land-to-sea concept as part of an environmentally sustainable design — all of which are commendable as long as commitments to the community are kept.
Plans offered by Pacific Links and Stanford Carr include replenishing groundwater resources, preventing erosion, removing invasive species, restoring taro patches, protecting heiau and maintaining Makaha Beach. Yet it will be up to stakeholders involved in the planning process to ensure their corporate partners honor those pledges.
“Our entire community is standing together to protect Makaha, and we are proud to have the backing of our partners Pacific Links and Stanford Carr,” Keaulana said.
Although specifics of the plan are not yet available, the project itself will bring a much-needed revitalization to Makaha Valley. In the aftermath of Makaha Resort’s closure, less has not meant more. The community will benefit from more attention being paid to the area’s natural resources, more and better-paying jobs, appreciative visitors to the area and, ultimately, more dollars.
