Laie Inn Plans Expansion To 220 Rooms

Del.icio.us

The public comment deadline is this Sunday on the environmental assessment plan for redeveloping Laie Inn, the hotel next door to Polynesian Cultural Center.

“The building that we’re in now is almost 40 years old,” said hotel general manager Bonnie Leatigaga. “I think it will be great for the community because it will improve the atmosphere of the community and create more jobs.” The inn’s land managing company is Hawaii Reserves Inc.

The 49-room hotel, which was built in 1965, will be torn down along with the nearby McDonald’s restaurant and Chevron gas station to make room for a 156,350 square-foot, 220-room hotel to be maintained by Marriott as a franchise owner. The new hotel also will have amenities such as a restaurant, banquet hall and swimming pool.

The McDonald’s and Chevron will be moved to the northern end of the property at the intersection of Naniloa Loop.

Eric Marler, Hawaii Reserves executive vice president and CFO, said the size of the building or the area it will take up shouldn’t create any negative feedback, because it is public knowledge. “The size of the building has been well-known for over two years,” he said. “The size of the project was set by the limitations many years ago in the zoning documents that govern the property.”

With all the construction and change that the new facility will bring, Marler maintained that the improvements will be good for the community. “We think the improvements will be positive. The impact will be that visitors to our community who currently don’t have an alternative mid-tier option available to them will have that option.”

Construction may take anywhere from 12 to 16 months and cost more than $38 million. There is no set date for construction to begin.

Comments should be sent by March 9 to the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, 650 S. King St., 7th floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, to the attention of Anthony Ching.