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  • Molokai Ranch closing operations

    Shocking news for Molokai.
    From this Star-Bulletin story we read:
    Molokai Ranch said today it will shut down its operations on Molokai at the end of the month and lay off more than 120 staff over the next 60 days.
    Molokai Ranch owner Molokai Properties, a subsidiary of Singapore-based GuocoLeisure Ltd., is blaming the move on community opposition to its development plans for the island.
    The company will shut down Molokai Lodge, the Kaupoa Beach Village, the Kaluakoi Golf Course, the Maunaloa gas station, the Maunaloa Tri-Plex theater, and its cattle-rearing business.
    Molokai Ranch said it told its employees of the move today.
    The development plan called for construction of a 200-lot luxury subdivision on 500 acres of land at Laau Point, using the revenues to revive long-dormant Kaluakoi Resort.
    At the same time, the ranch would set aside 50,000 acres for open space and conservation easement.
    And from this Advertiser story we read:
    Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares called Molokai Properties announced shutdown today "devastating news" while Moloka'i Councilman Danny A. Mateo described it as "a mean-spirited conclusion to punish a community."
    Both expressed concerns about the impact today's announcement will have on the already depressed economy of the island in a news release issued shortly before 4 p.m.

    In her statement, Tavares said:
    "The impact on the community will be quite serious. I'm concerned for the employees and families that are affected. This is devastating news and they will be the ones who will feel it the most. While I have great faith in the tenacity and resiliency of the people of Moloka'i, I am concerned about their economic future."
    Tavares added, "For an island that has the state's highest unemployment rate, this adds to an already stressful employment situation. We'll be looking for ways that the county, state and nonprofit community can provide support to the workers and their families. My staff has been informed that the state's Workforce Development Division and the state Unemployment Insurance Office are expected to send a rapid response team to Moloka'i in the next few days to meet with the affected employees. We'll also be examining closely existing agreements that the county has in place with the company to ensure that responsibilities are met.
    "Economically, this will be a difficult time for Moloka'i. Although the company's decision is very disheartening, this is also an opportunity where the Moloka'i community can look at options for sustainability that the majority of the people would wholeheartedly support."

    (...)

    Mateo, who represents Moloka'i on the Maui Council, said:
    "Finding work on-island for the many people who will lose their jobs is next to impossible," Mateo said. "I'm concerned about potential foreclosures of homes and other immediate impacts to those affected. I see this as really impacting not just the company's employees that are directly affected, but being detrimental to the visitor industry on Moloka'i and the cottage industries that are tied to it. There's the rodeo arena, theater, gas station, and grocery store — all operated by Moloka'i Ranch."
    Added Mateo:
    "This is so unfortunate and disappointing. With it being final, it seems to be a mean-spirited conclusion to punish a community that isn't ready to deal with the type of project the company wanted. A project that didn't fit. To subject the community to increased economic hardship is unfortunate. Bringing about economic woe to a community that already has next to zero employment opportunities is terrible.
    Molokai Ranch owns about 40% of the entire island. They announced they will be closing public access to all of their property.
    .
    .

    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

  • #2
    Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

    Oh, great. Shutting down the only theater on Moloka'i. Never mind it usually takes an hour to drive from Kaunakaka'i to Maunaloa.
    Beijing 8-08-08 to 8-24-08

    Tiananmen Square 4-15-89 to 6-04-89

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    • #3
      Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

      In a way this not surprising. When their proposed La'au point project ran into severe road blocks, it wasn't a question if Molokai Ranch was going to shut
      down but when. Nonetheless, this will have a extremely negative impact on Molokai, especially on the town of Mauna Loa. Which is Molokai Ranch's HQ.
      In short, Molokai Ranch was Mauna Loa town. A lot of their soon to be closed operations are up there.

      My girlfriend is from Molokai. I visited over there about a year ago. So I'm very familiar with the profound negative effects this closure will have on Molokai.
      Check out my blog on Kona issues :
      The Kona Blog

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      • #4
        Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

        I don't understand all the hand-wringing about this announcement. If you say you don't want economic development in your community, how can you be surprised if developers pull out? People don't go into business to lose money on charity cases. If Molokai wanted to assert that life is better without a resort, then here's their chance to prove it.

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        • #5
          Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

          Molokai Ranch pinned their economic survival on developing La'au point. Which to me was a unwise proposition. They should've renovated the closed
          Kaluakoi resort instead. Which was a more appropriate course of action.

          I don't think build a up scale subdivision with up to 200 McMansions can be construed as something appropriate for Molokai. La'au point is a very sacred
          area. On top of that water is very finite resource on Molokai. These 200 McMansions would be sucking up a lot of that precious resource.
          Check out my blog on Kona issues :
          The Kona Blog

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          • #6
            Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

            Bummer. Had a lot of fond memories of Kaluakoi and Maunaloa and hunting axis deer on MR land.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

              Originally posted by pzarquon View Post
              I don't understand all the hand-wringing about this announcement. If you say you don't want economic development in your community, how can you be surprised if developers pull out? People don't go into business to lose money on charity cases.
              Molokai Ranch is owned by Hong Kong-based GuocoLeisure Ltd. It strikes me that perhaps they should have done due diligence before ever purchasing MR, and they would have realized that their development plans would run into the proverbial brick wall.

              Well, time for your thanks.
              .
              .

              That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                Originally posted by pzarquon View Post
                I don't understand all the hand-wringing about this announcement. If you say you don't want economic development in your community, how can you be surprised if developers pull out? People don't go into business to lose money on charity cases. If Molokai wanted to assert that life is better without a resort, then here's their chance to prove it.
                I'm hoping that MCSC would buy the Ranch out, even if it has to go at it by parcel.
                Beijing 8-08-08 to 8-24-08

                Tiananmen Square 4-15-89 to 6-04-89

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                • #9
                  Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                  I don't understand what everybody is so upset about. This is what the most vocal residents of Molokai want for their island. This should be viewed as wonderful news, especially by all the folks on Molokai who participated in the stonewalling. Victory is at hand. Why would Mayor Tavares or Councilman Mateo be critical of the outcome? As politicians, you would think they would be in favor of whatever their constituents desire. Folks on Molokai want to be stuck in a time capsule of total intransigence and zero change.

                  This is a perfect example of the old saw about Be Careful What You Wish For.

                  Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. ROFLMFAO
                  FutureNewsNetwork.com
                  Energy answers are already here.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                    I think in this case zero change is something good. Molokai is someplace very unique and special. I absolutely fell in love with the rural ambiance when I
                    visited there last year. The La'au project would've negatively changed Molokai forever.

                    On top of that I don't think building 200 McMansions would've provided any long term economic relief to Molokai. The ranch's owners should've renovated
                    the mothballed Kaluakoi Resort instead of trying to shove this illogical project down every residents throats.

                    In short, Molokai Ranch gambled that La'au would've been their silver bullet.But instead they miscalculated the huge community opposition to this divisive
                    project. Because of the latter, now everyone suffers.
                    Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                    The Kona Blog

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                    • #11
                      Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                      This is liberal suicidal politics at its finest hour.

                      Libs protest the development due to the fact that it represents progress, change, employment, future, et al. Their dissent is successful and Molokai Ranch realizes it's hopeless and decides that it's just bad business on Molokai. So they decide to cut their losses and close up shop. 120 hardworking mothers, fathers, homeowners, renters, consumers, lose their jobs. (Do you feel sorry for the children? Or not?) The ripple effect will be terrific to every other business on Molokai. Of course, losing one's job is excellent in the eyes of any card carrying liberal. Then the government has to rush in to help displaced workers with unemployment, workforce development, and other government handout programs. Of course, the more the government spends money on any kind of welfare, and runs the lives of the people, the better libs love it. And now for the punchline.........Molokai Ranch is the bad guy, the libs honestly view themselves as altruistic and well intentioned, and the regular workin folk get the shaft, again.

                      I betcha nobody is angry at the lib protesters who could fairly be labeled as the bad guy in this debacle. Too damn funny.

                      As a sidenote, it is funny to me that Molokai protesters have successfully kept fastfood joints at bay. Then you drive around and see a Subway. LOL.
                      FutureNewsNetwork.com
                      Energy answers are already here.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                        The foreign-owned corporate-minded Moloka'i Ranch will always be the bad guy, and they just showed it this week.

                        They could have backed off or negotiate with the community, but they kept pushing and pushing for five years with no compromise in their master plan.
                        Beijing 8-08-08 to 8-24-08

                        Tiananmen Square 4-15-89 to 6-04-89

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                        • #13
                          Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                          Originally posted by Random View Post
                          Oh, great. Shutting down the only theater on Moloka'i. Never mind it usually takes an hour to drive from Kaunakaka'i to Maunaloa.
                          Now I know how I'll support myself in Hawaii. I'll open a theater on Molokai!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                            Originally posted by Vanguard View Post
                            Now I know how I'll support myself in Hawaii. I'll open a theater on Molokai!
                            You'll want to build it next to wherever they decide to put the cruise terminals and the SuperFerry pier...
                            Youth may be wasted on the young, but retirement is wasted on the old.
                            Live like you're dying, invest like you're immortal.
                            We grow old if we stop playing, but it's never too late to have a happy childhood.
                            Forget about who you were-- discover who you are.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Molokai Ranch closing operations

                              Originally posted by Nords View Post
                              You'll want to build it next to wherever they decide to put the cruise terminals and the SuperFerry pier...
                              AND make sure you get the blessings from Walter.

                              I have to admit though, from a landowners standpoint, they were giving a lot away for this development. I think that was a decent compromise. Ritte to me was the one that didn't and in the end Molokai Ranch pulled out.

                              Now Walter Ritte and his group is asking the developer to come back to the table for more negotiations. I think it's a bit too late for that. You can only protest so far, after that it's not worth bargaining.

                              Good or evil, it was Molokai Ranch's call and they had every right to do what they did.
                              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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