As the new owners of the site of the once great Coco Palms Hotel, we want to take this opportunity to update you on our efforts to restore this beautiful and sacred land to its former glory.
About six months ago we acquired control of the property via foreclosure/failed sale and were deeply disturbed by the state in which we found it.
The grounds were covered in nearly 100 abandoned cars, a large homeless camp, and tens of thousands of pounds of trash. Criminal activity and drug abuse were rampant on the property, and we’re told these problems have existed for well over a decade. The extent of the problem was truly shocking and heartbreaking.
We took on the enormous responsibility and expense of beginning to clean up the property because we understand the importance of preserving this land and ensuring it is treated with the respect it deserves.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has also expressed a desire to see the property cleaned up, and we happily agreed to their request. We assumed DLNR’s request to clean up the property was all the permission we needed from DLNR to do the cleanup,, so we didn’t apply for a permit for the cleanup.
The DLNR has informed us we needed a permit to clean up this land, and has asked us to hold off on any more cleanup until we obtain the correct permit. We’ll of course obtain any needed permits and work cooperatively with the DLNR and all other government agencies to ensure we comply with all rules and regulations as we clean up the historic Coco Palms property, and ensure it never again becomes a dumping ground for trash or a magnet for crime and drug abuse.
Separately, the DLNR has received erroneous complaints that we grubbed or graded the land. We will show the DLNR those complaints are not accurate.
Lastly, the County of Kaua‘i asked us to provide emergency access to the property, especially for fire trucks, by removing some trees. There was a major fire on the property in 2012, so the county’s request was not surprising, and we complied with it. Other governmental agencies are concerned we did not get their permission before complying with the county’s request, and we are working to resolve that issue.
Our highest priority has been to clean up and secure the site in preparation to demolish the dilapidated structures.
All work that has been performed on the project has been monitored by our on-site archaeological monitors and per our approved Archaeological Monitoring Plan.
We are committed to working with area Native Hawaiian community groups and others to ensure that we move forward in a manner that honors this sacred land and its history.
We will continue to work proactively with all government and regulatory authorities to ensure we are in compliance with all rules and regulations, as we continue to transform this property from its current dilapidated state to a beautiful place worthy of its history.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. We appreciate your support and look forward to updating you on our progress.
•••
Patrick Manning is the managing director of Reef Capital Partners in Utah, which is the developer of Coco Palms Resort in Wailua.
If this land is so sacred, why would you want to desecrate it with a totally unwanted and unneeded hotel?
Thank you so much for updating the Kauai people on what’s going on. I am sorry about our regulations. The State and County will give you a very hard time, but DONT GIVE UP!! That is the best advice anyone on Kauai can you give you. Hang in there
Great news! Hopefully this keeps the drug dealers and users away from nearby resorts and homes. Hopefully crime in that area will go down as well. A recognition of Larry Rivera somewhere on the new structures would be fitting as well.
“We are committed to working with area Native Hawaiian community groups and others to ensure that we move forward in a manner that honors this sacred land and its history.”
Actions speak louder than words. If you were truly committed to working with them you would listen to what they are telling you and respect their wishes for the property.
Hey Patrick – I am not sure if you get away with this kind of stuff in Utah or wherever else you work but do you really think Kauai is that gullible to believe any of this? Maybe next time try to just slip in one made up item if you want anyone to believe any of this. It is pretty disturbing when just about every single point you make is absurd or completely factually incorrect. What “former glory” are you intending to restore this “sacred land” to? Would any of the Kanaka Maioli out there like to comment on this? You almost got the next statement correct but just missed one word…“About six months ago we acquired control of the property”. Just replace “months” with “years” and the statement is then accurate. Who is the “we” in “we were deeply disturbed by the state in which we found it?” Could the “we” be all of the executives and staff listed right below you on your webpage? It must not be them as a majority of these people have been involved since 2015, took control of the project a few years later and have been parading in front of the planning commission a couple times per year telling a new version of the story each time. Who told you “these problems have existed for well over a decade?” Was it your fellow project managers, executives and board members? “The extent of the problem was truly shocking and heartbreaking” — you think anyone believes this statement? I guess you figured you might as well keep making up stuff? The next line is one of my favorites… “We assumed DLNR’s request to clean up the property was all the permission we needed from DLNR to do the cleanup,, so we didn’t apply for a permit for the cleanup.” Is that how it works in other areas? So when the Mayor comes on TV and states they want to see more affordable housing, does that mean you just go buy a piece of land and start building? Or in the Coco Palms situation, the planning commission sets a date for demolition of all structures, does that mean you don’t need to apply for a demo permit? “We’ll of course obtain any needed permits and work cooperatively with the DLNR and all other government agencies to ensure we comply with all rules and regulations.” Ok, that settles it, “of course” you will do it the right way. “The DLNR has received erroneous complaints that we grubbed or graded the land. We will show the DLNR those complaints are not accurate.” So the pictures of the land off Koki road that showed a huge area of only dirt with no vegetation at all must have been photoshopped? “Lastly, the County of Kaua‘i asked us to provide emergency access to the property, especially for fire trucks, by removing some trees. There was a major fire on the property in 2012, so the county’s request was not surprising, and we complied with it.” The KFD has been using this site for training for the last decade without any issues. The Coco Palms fire was 2014 but close enough right? “Other governmental agencies are concerned we did not get their permission before complying with the county’s request, and we are working to resolve that issue.” As you said previously “oops”. “Our highest priority has been to clean up and secure the site in preparation to demolish the dilapidated structures.” “All work that has been performed on the project has been monitored by our on-site archaeological monitors and per our approved Archaeological Monitoring Plan”. Will Cultural Surveys Hawaii confirm that is an accurate statement? The more you keep talking, the deeper hole you keep digging…pun certainly intended! “We are committed to working with area Native Hawaiian community groups and others to ensure that we move forward in a manner that honors this sacred land and its history”… Which groups are you working with? Can you explain what “Native Hawaiian” means to you? “We will continue to work proactively with all government and regulatory authorities to ensure we are in compliance with all rules and regulations” Can you please share which “government and regulatory authorities” those would be and which “rules and regulations” you intend to abide by? This might be a good start in eliminating another “oops” response in the near future. “Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.” Thank you for taking your time to read this and other community responses. If you really meant, “We appreciate your support and look forward to updating you on our progress”, correcting the factual errors in your letter and answering some of the questions here would show you were sincere in your statement.
Does anyone really believe these new owners/developers? Or are they asleep or somehow seeing a financial windfall coming their way? This is how many iterations of the same story, the same lies and the same carelessness by county officials? I think most people have lost track. The spokesperson I think his name is Parker was asked if he had met with any community groups. His answer was he could not because of ‘restrictions’. I assume he meant CoVid restrictions which had been dropped for over a year. Then a member of a Hawaiian group testified that he was thankful to have met with Parker about the cultural center. No comment from the Planning Commission, no awareness, no care.
The Coco Palms, 30 years of bad decisions.
If you folks are going to build then maybe you should be required to widen Kuhio Highway to 4 lanes up to the airport and install roundabouts at every current traffic signal. Then maybe the additional traffic wouldn’t be so bad with addition of hundreds of rental cars.