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Hawai'i Skies

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Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Gary Tavis on Maui. "I've taken many great photos in Maui over the years. As you know the sunsets are magnificent. These photos were taken in different spots in Whalers Village. All photos are with my cell phone. And crazy as it sounds my photos seem to come out brighter and more vibrant then most others. Wish I knew why that is. Any way I love sharing my pictures, thanks for giving me the opportunity to do that."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

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<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Magnificent sunsets</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Gary Tavis on Maui.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Magnificent sunsets

 Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Gary Tavis on Maui. &quot;I&#039;ve taken many great photos in Maui over the years. As you know the sunsets are magnificent. These photos were taken in different spots in Whalers Village. All photos are with my cell phone. And crazy as it sounds my photos seem to come out brighter and more vibrant then most others. Wish I knew why that is. Any way I love sharing my pictures, thanks for giving me the opportunity to do that.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

, who is also the oldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife, Rita, still remembers the day when he was at a beach on Maui and inspiration for a song hit.

“The moment is etched in my memory,” Marley told Aloha State Daily.

, is still one of his most popular ones on Spotify, where it has been streamed more than 122 million times. It also features renowned 

“Hawaiʻi is an inspiration to me,” Marley said. “It reminds me of home. It has a strong spirit. And I just love the nature of Hawaiʻi and the people of Hawaii.”

Now, Marley is back again with his family to share a 

 on Saturday, April 11, at The Republik. Proceeds from the event benefit the Waikīkī Community Center and will be used to help build a new library for keiki.

, including one which was written with his wife, Orly. Their son, who is 10 years old, has brought some books from their home in Los Angeles to donate, he added. Attendees of the concert can also bring books for the children’s library.   

The show comes just a week ahead of the release of “Brightside,” which is Marley’s first studio album in eight years. “Brightside” is set to release as a vinyl exclusive on Saturday, April 18, which is 

, and digitally on Friday, May 1. It includes “Make it Paradise,” which features Shimabukuro.

“We did that ʻBeach in Hawaiʻi’ song,” he said. “And then when I did ʻMake it Paradise,’ it had that flavor. It had that Hawaiian flavor, that ‘ukulele flavor.”

He called Shimabukuro, who happened to be in Los Angeles for a concert.

“He took the time to come over to my studio,” Marley said. “We hung out, and we did the song. And it's a wonderful song, and I can't wait for people to hear it.”

The album’s eight songs were co-produced by Marley and his brother, Stephen, in his newly built Rebel Lion Studio. The new album also includes the track “Many Mourn for Bob,” released as a single on Feb. 5, which is about his father.

“I'm at a stage in my life where I'm at a maturity now where I can relate to him in a more emotional way,” Marley said. “Not just as a father or a legend, but on a more human perspective on what he went through that a lot of people might not know about. He went through a lot emotionally, mentally. I feel people don't understand. I recognize that. And I relate with him in that way. 

"And he passed away very young. It's kind of sad in some ways, even though he's a big legend now. It's still sad. He was so young. It's my empathy toward him and my emotional feelings that I share with him, in a spiritual way also, because writing the song, there was a strong connection with him. ... When I was doing it, I thought to myself, ʻYou know what ... He could have sung this song, himself.’ I had a strong connection to him when I was doing that song.”

Bob Marley & The Wailers inspired generations of Hawaiʻi artists, including Glenn Awong of Maoli, one of the writers of 

 which includes the lyrics: “Sometimes I listen to Marley, while I sip on my whiskey.” Marley is also on the mind of 

first Pacific Islander to win “American Idol,”

 who recently referenced “Three Little Birds” as inspiration for his own single, “Sunshine.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"For Marley, his father is still with him."}]

“My father is a part of me,” he said. “In some ways, the memories are etched in my DNA. But my father — he was a fun guy, too. That's another thing people don't know. He loved to laugh and have fun and make jokes. I remember going to the countryside with him, playing soccer with him. He was a fun person. And I remember that side of him a lot.”

 released on Feb. 24. The music video, launched on March 26, features his daughters Zuri and Judah.

“We had so much fun doing it,” Marley said. “Even though the topic is kind of heavy, but the video is kind of light and fun. The lyrics are a metaphor. I use racism as a metaphor of a virus that's cured by a Dr. Brightside.”

One of his favorite songs in the new album is “Why Let the World,” he said.

“Sometimes, we need a break from all the negativity,” Marley said. “In the news, in the world, there's a lot of bad stuff going on, and I think that song kind of helped me.”

His charity, Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE) Foundation, helps children in Jamaica, Africa and throughout the world through education, health care, nutrition and more, according to its website. Marley grew up in Jamaica.

“Early in our life, we grew up in the poor part of Kingston,” Marley said. “And gradually, as my father — his career took off — we moved out and lived in better places throughout time. But we never forgot where we came from. And we never forgot the people that didn't make it out like we did.”

His parents set an example of helping others, he said.

“We formed the charity to invite others to help, but it's just a part of who we are trying to help our fellow human beings who need our help,” Marley said. “We really focus on children, though. After a while, the best way to help our communities is to help develop kids and help kids out, so that the future can be brighter for all of us in the community.”

And that is exactly what Marley is focusing on with the benefit show for Waikīkī Community Center this weekend, where attendees can build a library by bringing books to the show and help keiki.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"“That's what it's all about,” he said."}]

Tickets start at $45, plus service fees. 

Ziggy Marley

<title>Ziggy Marley reflects on benefit show, new album</title>

The eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley is about to release his first studio album in eight years, “Brightside.” The nine-time Grammy winner spoke with Aloha State Daily about the new music, which releases on April 18, as well as his benefit concert this weekend at The Republik in Honolulu.

Ziggy Marley reflects on benefit show, new album

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Kīlauea is bringing the heat — and tephra — again, prompting temporary park and highway closures on Hawai‘i Island.

[{"type":"text","text":"Episode 44 of the ongoing eruption began at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, April 9."}]

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park said in a 

 that the park is closed at its entrance due to hazardous volcanic material and gas associated with the latest eruptive episode.

Rangers evacuating the area reported that chunks of tephra —

 volcanic fragments including ash, pumice, Pele hair and reticulite — the size of softballs were falling at the Kīlauea Overlook at Kīlauea Military Camp around noon, the post noted.

A portion of Highway 11 near HVNP, between mile markers 25.5 and 40 on either side of the park, has also been closed. The closure was made in coordination between the state Department of Transportation, HVPN, Hawai‘i County Civil Defense and Hawai‘i Police Department in "anticipation of hazards from falling volcanic tephra," according to an announcement from Hawai‘i County Thursday.

 at 12:36 p.m., the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said lava fountains were, at the time, reaching about 625 feet above ground level.

 says that overnight guests of Volcano House and Kīlauea Military Camp may enter and shelter in place. The Kahuku unit is open but can only be accessed past mile marker 40.

 is in effect until midnight for interior, east and southeast areas of the Big Island, and the National Weather Service in Honolulu says the public "may be impacted by substantial tephra fall."

"Varying levels of ash, Pele's hair and other lightweight tephra may fall downwind of the eruption," the NWS notes. "Large foam-like tephra up to football size may fall near the summit and up to several miles downwind. Small particles are eye and respiratory irritants. Larger lightweight tephra are not usually harmful on impact, but  they can reduce visibility, create hazardous driving conditions and need localized clean-up. This lightweight material does not pose a roof-collapse risk."

 has been erupting intermittently since Dec. 23, 2024, from two vents in Halema‘uma‘u crater within the summit caldera.

, which started and ended on March 10, saw lava fountains reach 

 high, a record for this eruption, the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says.

, which ended Jan. 24 after a little more than 8 hours of continuous lava fountaining, also blanketed HVNP and some surrounding Hawai‘i Island communities with tephra and ash. (ICYMI: An estimated 14 million cubic yards of lava erupted during that episode. Here's 

 it was readying for the new eruptive episode.

HVNP said then that visitation and traffic soar during eruptions, but the park also anticipated that participants of the 

 would visit Kīlauea this week. The annual hula competition is underway in Hilo through Saturday, April 11.

Nps photo kilauea eruption 040926

<title>Newest eruption prompts temporary closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park</title>

Episode 44 of the ongoing eruption began at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, April 9.

Newest eruption prompts temporary closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

As another storm approaches Hawai‘i, the previous two Kona lows have been declared a federally recognized disaster.

 Wednesday evening that President Donald Trump has approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the state after the two Kona low storms that struck Hawai‘i in March.

“Being recognized as a major disaster is significant because it opens the door for additional federal resources and establishes a shared responsibility between the state and federal government to support our communities throughout our recovery,” Green said in his announcement.

Green added that the declaration awards the state “initial federal support to help with response and early recovery efforts.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had not included the March storms among its list of 

. Once it is included, FEMA can activate various disaster assistance programs as specified by the governor, such as public and individual assistance services.

However, a representative of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency told Aloha State Daily Thursday that the latest storm is not included within the presidential declaration. Whether future storm responses will be included has yet to be determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The governor can request an extension of the declaration within 30 days of the declaration or the end of the designated disaster period.

Green also made another emergency proclamation — 

 — about the storms Thursday morning, extending the state of emergency and the disaster emergency relief period through June 7, unless terminated earlier.

Waialua flooding 032126

<title>Presidential disaster declaration issued for Kona lows 1 and 2</title>

Gov. Josh Green announced that federal aid will be available to recover from the March storms.

Presidential disaster declaration issued for Kona lows 1 and 2

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

In an effort to celebrate the state's shared love of baseball and golf, the University of Hawai‘i baseball team is ready to host 'Masters Weekend' at Les Murakami Stadium for its upcoming series against UC Irvine. 

The Masters Weekend initiative was spearheaded by the UH athletics marketing department and coincides with the Masters Tournament, which runs from Thursday to Sunday in Augusta, Ga. 

Over at Les Murakami Stadium, Hawai‘i will host UC Irvine for a three-game series from Friday to Sunday. The first 250 fans at each game will take home a free, limited edition golf towel featuring UH's H logo, courtesy of Hawai‘i Pacific Health. Once fans enter the stadium, they'll be greeted by members of UH's golf teams, who will interact with fans and will be available to teach young fans about some nuances about the sport, such as how to hold a club. 

"This idea actually rooted mainly in the marketing staff being golf fans," Caitlyn Lok, a recent UH-Mānoa graduate and marketing staff member, told Aloha State Daily. "It started out as an idea and wanting to overlap with Masters weekend. But also it makes a lot of sense, because not only are our baseball fans also fans of golf, but our players are fans of golf as well."

Golf remains a popular method for the world's top athletes to unwind, a separate pursuit that names such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James immerse themselves in even during their playing days. It's no different at the college level. Multiple members of the UH baseball team say the sport is a preferable way to take their minds off the rigors of the season.

As part of Masters weekend rollout, four Rainbow Warriors held a chipping contest from the stands at Les Murakami Stadium. 

"I would say a good amount of us really like to golf. I think it's really cool. I love to golf, so I thought it just a pretty cool thing we're doing," starting third baseman Tate Shimao says of the golf promotion. 

When asked if he's a golf guy, Hawai‘i head baseball coach Rich Hill says he's not able to hit the links as frequently, preferring to spend time in the water on his surfboard. But with an appreciation for the sport, and the through line as it pertains to fans of golf and baseball, he already believes the promotion will attract more fans. 

"I think it's awesome. Yes, I am a golf guy. I don't get out as much anymore. It takes a lot of time, and I could use that time on the phone trying to get recruits, or on the field, trying to make guys better, or in the waves trying to make myself better out there," Hill said. "I used to teach golf at Cal Lutheran and I love golf. 

"The marketing team here, I was shocked at how good they were, coming from where I came from. No disrespect there, but man, Caitlyn Lok, Eric Mathews, they do a phenomenal job. And any fans that are listening, it is a great place to come and have fun. It is an entertainment value, not only a great baseball value, but just entertainment. I think all of the promotions that we do here are first class, just like our fans across the country. It's a top rated marketing department, and another great marketing promotion this weekend."

Hawai‘i baseball fans have proved they'll stand in line for a good promotion. Prior to Les Murakami Hall of Fame Night on Feb. 20, fans braved heavy rain and winds in order to line up for free Les Murakami commemorative caps, arriving to the stadium hours before first pitch. 

"Our fans at baseball, the environment is already great, and we always have our dedicated fans are lining up at the gates before we even open," Lok said. "But when we get the community together and we see how excited they are about the themes, our giveaways and just supporting the team, it's always great to see. We're always running back and forth, setting up before gates open, and just seeing the crowd out there excited, especially all the kids, it's great. Especially in marketing, a lot of what I find gratifying about this job is giving to the community and seeing them come together to just support UH athletics and enjoy a good game."

Hawaii baseball golf 040826

<title>'Masters Weekend' promotion celebrates Hawai‘i's love of baseball and golf</title>

Limited edition golf towels will be handed out to the first 250 fans to arrive at Les Murakami Stadium before each game UH has against UC Irvine this week.

'Masters Weekend' promotion celebrates Hawai‘i's love of baseball and golf

Two years after wildfires struck Maui, "Lahaina is buzzing," Qiana Di Bari says.

"All you hear in the streets everywhere are the tap of hammers. It's like a constant hum everywhere. There's rebuilding happening everywhere."

On Aug. 8, 2023, fires flamed by winds from a passing storm ravaged parts of the Valley Isle. More than 100 people were killed in the blaze, which destroyed much of Lahaina town.

Qiana and her husband, Michele, are the restauranteurs behind Sale Pepe Pizzeria e Cucina, which was located just behind Lahaina's famed Front Street. The restaurant was lost in the fire but reopened in March — the first Lahaina restaurant lost in the tragedy to rebuild in Lahaina town.

Just months after reopening their original restaurant, the Di Baris have embarked on a new endeavor, opening Via! by Sale Pepe last month at Whaler's Village in Kā‘anapali. Here, they aim to bring a "fast casual twist" to the Italian flavors made popular at its sister restaurant.

Aloha State Daily spoke with the Di Baris ahead of the second anniversary of the fire to talk about their experience during the tragedy, rebuilding and resilience — and their newest endeavor.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Building"}]

The pair, Qiana says, eloped here in 2010 and had a 10-year plan to return. But Hurricane Sandy, which hit New York in 2012, fast-forwarded those plans.

Qiana, who is originally from New York City, worked in the entertainment industry as a manager for hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest and rapper Q-Tip, and also did some movie production.

thought, I want to take care of my real baby and focus on the family," she recalled.

Michele is from Italy and has owned restaurants in New York since his early 20s.

In 2011, Qiana says they opened a restaurant together in Brooklyn but decided to move to Maui and rest for a year, focusing on the family.

"But Michele has a really fun, I don't know, hobby," Qiana says with chuckle. "He likes to call 'for sale' and 'for rent' signs for fun and see what's going on in the marketplace."

That's how he stumbled upon a space behind Front Street, "not knowing it was an old KFC with no grease trap, totally gutted. Made a wild deal and the landlord accepted all the terms, and that's how Sale Pepe started," she says. "It wasn't even something we intended to do right away."

[{"type":"text","text":"They opened quietly in 2014 and grew slowly."}]

"Little by little, all of the chefs and foodies started coming in and telling their friends and telling theirs, so it became a word-of-mouth kind of a place, kind of like an underground spot. Ten years later, we were at our peak. It was a really great place for community to gather. We are still known for our integrity, slow cooking, the importation of all our product from Italy."

The olive oil, tomato sauce, salumi, cheese, Qiana says "everything comes in." Everything else is local product.

"It's a warm, casual experience but with an elevated product," she continued. "I think that's why it worked."

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"No alternative"}]

Qiana says there's a "powerful picture somewhere" of the couple and their daughter looking at the ruined space after the fire, "and us being in kind of shock about that."

[{"type":"text","text":"They were stuck in West Maui after the flames swept through."}]

"We couldn't get out," Qiana recalled. "They wouldn't let you out unless you were leaving completely because you could not return. ... We had no internet, no cellular service, nothing."

A GoFundMe was established to help the Sale Pepe team, which became a rebuilding fund.

"I think we had the intention of coming back," Qiana says. "I had a lot of thoughts about 9/11 — going through that and seeing New York Downtown being so vibrant today, maybe five years later. I thought 'These things turn around. These places don't die. Growth has to happen. It's just not going to stay like this.' We thought we wanted to be a part of that wave of redevelopment and we knew right from the beginning that we were going to rebuild. The alternative was just too sad. I don't think there was ever an alternative."

[{"type":"text","text":"Then there was the matter of where to be."}]

"Our friends owned this place and offered it to us six months after the fire," Qiana says. "That was great, but it was just a warehouse. We had to rebuild it from scratch."

As they went through that process, they were talking to people at Whalers Village, who said a space would be available around this time.

The Di Baris thought it would take about six months to rebuild Sale Pepe's new location and a year for the Whaler's Village space.

"The county and the bureaucracy that we experienced was almost as traumatic as the fire itself, in terms of there being no incentives for businesses to rebuild, no expedited permitting for businesses, no tax abatement — just a lot of discouragement, actually," Qiana says.

She understands the county's focus on getting people back into their homes, but says she's seen a lot of cities "walk and chew gum at the same time. I feel like things go hand-in-hand."

They were about 10 months behind schedule when Sale Pepe reopened in March. You can find them now in Emerald Plaza at 157 Kupuohi St., suite J1.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Rebuilding"}]

"I feel like where we are in Emerald Plaza is a new hub, along with Lahaina Gateway," Qiana says. "In a sense, we're in the center of town again. ... In another sense, it feels like we're on the fringes of something. It feels a little bit like Williamsburg in Brooklyn, where I'm from. But it definitely is a time of growth, for sure, and we're really proud to be the first crazy restauranteurs to rebuild in Lahaina."

The restaurant is three minutes away from their home, their daughter goes to school in West Maui, "and we wanted our restaurant to be home," she says.

Two years out from the fires, how does it feel to reopen Sale Pepe and launch Via!?

"We are part of the new beginning," Michele told ASD. "... We just look ahead now."

Qiana, though, says she's "holding space for both things, because I do think we have to look ahead, but there's a lot of suffering while there's a lot of positivity."

"We see that in the restaurant every night," she continued. "People are coming in and they're feeing reconnected and hopeful and crying over their meatballs that are just the same as they were before the fire. But there's also a sadness and an acknowledgement of everything that has been lost, as well as a lot of talk on the floor even about how hard it is. ... It's hard. We're still in the thick of it. And rebuilding, permitting, budgets, money running out — it's real. Sale Pepe is a place to talk about that and get through it, and it's also a place where people come to celebrate their victories, but we're holding two strong things at the same time for sure. It's not all rainbow and butterflies."

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Via!"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Qiana wanted a slice of New York-style pizza."}]

"I was craving a New York slice," she says with a laugh. "I go home every year, but that's not enough. I really thought why can't I find one? Where can I find one? Is that something we can fold into our repertoire? And also, how cool would it be to talk to a different customer?"

The concept for Via! came as a way to reach an audience seeking a "high quality experience" for under $20, Qiana says, "and to speak to the moment right now with locals in terms of offering something of quality from Sale Pepe that won't break the bank," food she says that's accessible, fun and relaxed comfort food.

A recent announcement from the shop notes that Via!'s streamlined menu includes build-your-own pastas, where guests can pair house-made pastas like rigatoni, fusilli or spaghetti with the likes of basil pesto, marinara or parmesan cream sauces; New York- and Roman-style pizzas by the slice; and salads like Caesar and caprese, along with a "curated" antipasti plate.

"The slices were the start because that was just a selfish desire," Qiana says. "Then [Michele] wanted a Romana slice, because that's his favorite slice." 

Meanwhile, she says that the build-your-own-pasta is a way to "empower people to play and not get bored and customize their experience for $20. Same fresh pasta, same sauces that we make here in-house at Sale, just a quicker [experience]."

[{"type":"text","text":"Michele says response to Via! has been \"awesome.\""}]

Also worth noting: Sale Pepe will donate all proceeds from its margherita pizza throughout August to the 

, a grassroots organization that's working to help the Lahaina community affected by the fires with rebuilding.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Connect"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday."}]

Kā‘anapali Parkway, suite H-19, Lahaina

[{"type":"text","text":"Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m."}]

Photo Credit Spencer Starnes Michele and Qiana Di Bari Table Spencer Starnes Photographer

<title>Restauranteurs talk rebuilding and expanding two years after Maui wildfires</title>

Qiana and Michele Di Bari are the restauranteurs behind Sale Pepe Pizzeria e Cucina, which was lost in the 2023 wildfires and reopened earlier this year, returning to Lahaina. They also recently opened Via! by Sale Pepe, a "fast casual twist" to the Italian flavors made popular at its sister restaurant. Aloha State Daily recently spoke with the Di Baris ahead of the second anniversary of the fire to talk about their experience during the tragedy, their rebuilding — and their newest endeavor.

Restauranteurs talk rebuilding and expanding two years after Maui wildfires

Real Estate

A Waikīkī project more than five years in the making has hit a milestone.

Developers last week topped off Ka Haku, a Hilton Club, a new timeshare property under construction by Hilton Grand Vacations, an Orlando-based timeshare company.

Dozens celebrated the topping off Friday at the Honolulu Zoo, including leaders and from HGV and Nordic PCL, the project's contractor, among others.

A senior superintendent told the crowd gathered that getting to this point was a group effort.

"There's a lot of work that's been put into this project, and it does take the group to get to where we're at," they said. "The structure top-off is a major milestone. Let's celebrate it today. Let's enjoy ourselves today. But we still have a lot of work to do."

Located at the former King's Village site at 131 Ka‘iulani Ave., the timeshare offers 213 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites; a private arrival and departure lounge; state-of-the-art fitness center, pool and pool bar; and a Japanese-style bathhouse.

Tyler Middleton, senior director of development for Hilton Grand Vacations, told Aloha State Daily on Friday that construction on the project began in 2019, "and we were about a year into all of the underground work and then Covid hit."

"We made the decision to shut the project down," he continued. "We quickly became the most expensive parking lot in Waikīkī."

Middleton says the developer got approval to restart the project in spring 2023 and "remobilized" that fall. Ka Haku is expected to be finished and open in summer 2026.

The last of the concrete has been poured and the roof has been completed, but Middleton notes that the crane will remain on site for a few more months to lift some heavy equipment onto the rooftop and into the tower.

As for the work that remains, he told ASD, "It's just going to be all the interior work," including mechanical, plumbing and electrical, furniture, mill work, finishes, paint, wall coverings, tile, flooring and more, as well as the work in the public areas.

[{"type":"text","text":"There will be two retail spaces on the ground floor, Middleton says."}]

After nearly six years, Middleton says it "feels great" to reach this point.

"[At the] end of the day, Hilton Grand Vacations has had very little to do with it other than selecting a great team to build the project, and [we] couldn't be more proud of everyone that's had their hands, their fingerprints on this project and to get us where we are today."

HGV currently operates 13 resorts across four islands, including six on O‘ahu. Ka Haku — which HGV says is named in honor of Prince Albert Kamehameha — is the 14th Hilton Grand Vacation resort in the state and is the only Hilton Club in Hawai‘i. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Middleton says Hilton Club is the company's \"luxury brand.\""}]

[{"type":"text","text":"He declined to disclose the cost of the project."}]

When asked what the project means for the Waikīkī community, he said, "This is just a continued testament that Hilton Grand Vacations is 100% committed to Waikīkī, O‘ahu, the Hawaiian Islands."

According to Middleton, the project has generated more than 500 construction industry jobs during the build, and will support 150 to 175 full-time employees once it opens.

He said, too, that HGV also will make a $1 million contribution to support projects selected by the Honolulu City Council that will "benefit both residents and visitors here in Waikīkī." Additionally, HGV will make a donation to the Waikīkī Community center for every sale, approximately $10,000.

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