Coco Palms to become a Park?

Coco Palms to become a park?

Coco Palms, the famous Kauai resort which put Kauai on the map, lay dormant for thirteen years after being demolished in Hurrican I`niki. The Coco Palms Resort was once "the" resort to stay in on Kauai. In its heyday it was filled to capacity with honeymooners, repeat visitors and numerous celebrities.

In the summer of 2005, developers, Coco Palms Ventures LLC and the county announced that Coco Palms would be developed into a mixed-use facility that was to feature 200 kauai condominium units, 104 hotel rooms and a spa on the lush 45 acre campus in Wailua. A sales office was built in the Coconut Marketplace and sales and marketing commenced in 2006. Then in Sept. of last year, the developers pulled the plug on the project and placed Coco Palms on the market. According to the developer, the price is negotiable; the company paid $12.3 million for the resort in January 2006. The total project is 32 acres, some of which is land leased from the state that cannot be developed.

In the meantime, community sentiment has been building for the county to turn the former resort site into an eastside park. This week, Senator Gary Hooser, introduced a bill in the Senate requesting an appropriation of $10 million in matching funds to buy Coco Palms Resort. The legislation calls for acquisition of the resort and converting the campus into a public historical park and cultural education center to preserve and benefit native Hawaiian culture.