New Kaka`ako aquarium?

[LikaNui]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

Good comments; interesting poll results.
Maybe if it was felt we had to have a new aquarium (see, Scriv? I didn't say "need"!) they could build it on all the empty space next to the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park (which I thought was ridiculous to build, too), or perhaps next to Sea Life Park in Waimanalo. Just tossing those out.
I love what we have right now. Hell, if they tear it down, wouldn't they just build yet another awful hotel?
I think it was RN who said they'd thought about volunteering at the Waikiki Aquarium... most excellent! Hana hou.

[Keanu]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

'ZACTLY!

The heck with what the tourists want.

I concur.

[Pomai]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

All this relocating of major attractions is head-spinning. The Stadium. Now an Aquarium.

Rebuild the stadium on the same Halawa property. Keep the name, ALOHA STADIUM. Perfect central location. If they need more parking, make a multi-tiered lot on the side. But preserve most of the open lot for tailgating! Common.. that's a must!

Knock down Sea Life Park and rebuild it into a world-class Aquarium on the same property. Keep the name, SEA LIFE PARK. You couldn't ask for a better view, with Rabbit Island behind.

Both perfect, just where they are. That's the way we know it, and that's the way it should continue. They both just need structural updates.

[Miulang]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

If Oahu does get another aquarium, would it only get a one-time credit or would it become another black hole for the taxpayers of Honolulu and the
State?

How regularly would residents of Honolulu visit it as opposed to the tourists, knowing that admission rates (if it's built by the developer) would hover in the $25/ticket/adult range (it costs $23/adult to visit MOC)?

The Maui Ocean Center was built for about $20 million in 1998. It was developed by Coral World (a major internationally known developer of marine parks). I don't know if it got any tax credits from Maui County initially (they may have gotten some incentives for acquiring the land at that particular site, although that site was vacant scrub land for years and years once cane planting decreased, because it's so windy), but they are now supported through admissions and memberships and grants. Maalaea Triangle Partnership LLP owns the complex next door that houses the Pacific Whale Foundation and some restaurants and touristy shops.

Miulang

[lavagal]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

Knock down Sea Life Park and rebuild it into a world-class Aquarium on the same property. Keep the name, SEA LIFE PARK. You couldn't ask for a better view, with Rabbit Island behind.

Both perfect, just where they are. That's the way we know it, and that's the way it should continue. They both just need structural updates.

Sea Life Park is owned by a company in Mexico, they lease land from my employer, Oceanic Institute, who leases the land from the state. Maybe Sea Life Park's executives considered the idea already. Maybe for some reason, they don't see the need for it. There certainly isn't enough room for it. The land goes all the way up to the top of the ridge...which tends to send down boulders on occasion. There's a lot of land, but not much of it is stable enough or suitable enough to build an aquarium.

Since the idea of building the aquarium hit me below the belt (was that intentional?) why not think of other places to put one, without displacing those of us whose employer would be shut down? What about the old Kahuku Sugar Mill area?

[i-hungry]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

I agree with Lee Cataluna. I also say that Waikiki Aquarium isn't "needed" either. But its already there so it should stay.

[LocoBoy]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

Quote by scrivener: I, personally, do not even NEED the one we have now, 'though I love it dearly

Don't need it but love it?


As for me, I dig the aquarium and wouldn't mind a better one.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

The Aquarium in Waikiki is a fantastic place! My kids always enjoyed going there and long for an aquatic showcase in Hilo. It's a safe way to learn and understand our reefs around our islands.

The Big Island lacks venues such as a good place to see our marine life. Why is it that when looking at the state as a whole, the only consideration remains Oahu? Everything is all about Oahu and forget the rest of the state.

Okay so fine another aquarium isn't needed on Oahu, but what about the neighbor islands? We are part of the state of Hawaii too.

[lavagal]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

The Aquarium in Waikiki is a fantastic place! My kids always enjoyed going there and long for an aquatic showcase in Hilo. It's a safe way to learn and understand our reefs around our islands.

The Big Island lacks venues such as a good place to see our marine life. Why is it that when looking at the state as a whole, the only consideration remains Oahu? Everything is all about Oahu and forget the rest of the state.

Okay so fine another aquarium isn't needed on Oahu, but what about the neighbor islands? We are part of the state of Hawaii too.

I don't have a problem with that! I know Maui has one. If the Big Island wants one, why not? I wonder why developers don't bring it up.

[Kungpao]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

Last summer we visited Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. Not exactly what you'd expect to find in one of the state's, if not the country's, most crime ridden cities. But it is magnificent. And it draws the crowds. It has incredible displays, a shark tunnel, and even displays where scores of Nemo and Dora fish hang out with sea anenomes.
Our little aquarium is cute, but antiquated.
I don't object to a new aquarium in Kakaako. I'd prefer it there than one out at Ko Olina. I dare to disagree with those who assert that our cute little aquarium is sufficient.

I'm with you on this Lavagal... Except for maybe I'd prefer near Ko Olina. Thanagain, I'm biast. My parents own a timeshare there so that's where I stay when I visit.

Aquariums, to me aren't just pretty to look at the fish. They're rather educational and the way an aquarium is run helps teach ignorant folk how to care for the ocean and all it's surroundings. I was appalled at the amout of people that were on the reefs at Hanauma Bay after just viewing the mandatory video telling them not to! The Little Aquarium on Waikiki is wonderful! Albeit too small for my liking but I was amazed at the pools they had with all the coral clippings to be brought back into the ocean and all the conservation and education they gave. The Aquarium on Maui was definitely cool too although I was rushed through it and didn't get to spend much time in the tunnel. Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of my favorites. I love how they have a section that is fed right from the ocean. Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ was neat too. Definitely no what you'd expect in that neighborhood at all. I spent a good hour watching the LARGE sea turtle and equally LARGE Ray that they had in their large tank. Course this frightened me to think that Steve Irwin was swimming with these large Rays.

[Kungpao]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

'ZACTLY!

The heck with what the tourists want.

Most of them are headed to Maui anyway, after they see Pearl Harbor.

I concur.

I don't get it. These types of venues are the ones that HI could be assessing tourist taxes on. Why doesn't the state do it? I would think that HI would benefit from collecting money from tourists in this sense no? I mean make it like a surcharge and if you are a HI resident, you don't have to pay it? I suppose that's another topic...

[lavagal]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

Tourists fuel our economy. Ask anyone who has a hotel job, a taxi job, an airline or an airport job, dances at the Polynesian Culture Center, runs a parasail or snorkeling concession, rents surfboards, maintains a bed and breakfast, sells iced tea at an ABC Store, works at Germaine's Luau, owns a fancy restaurant or a hole in the wall store in Chinatown. Why is it so hip to piss on tourists?

I think Hawaii, a destination farther from any other place on earth, in the center of the Pacific Ocean, SHOULD have a WORLD-CLASS aquarium to explain the sea around it, the plight of the fish in the oceans, the beauty of corals and the little Nemo and Dora fishies that live there. Think of the partnerships that could be created between Hawaii's colleges and an aquarium. Think of the internship and job opportunities. Tourists who plan their trips would surely visit. School kids would go on class trips. Residents would bring their guests. And residents would be amazed an awed themselves. I do not SCUBA, probably won't, but I love all things of the sea. I think aquariums provide an educational service, and they trigger emotions right before delivering you to the gift shop where they get one last chance to raise funds to keep from operating in the red.
Let's find another segment of society that is more deserving of being picked on. Like legislators! They spend OUR money. At least tourists spend their own money!

[D'Alani]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

I don't get it. These types of venues are the ones that HI could be assessing tourist taxes on. Why doesn't the state do it? I would think that HI would benefit from collecting money from tourists in this sense no? I mean make it like a surcharge and if you are a HI resident, you don't have to pay it? I suppose that's another topic...

One venue where the state is missing out on a lot "tourist tax" is the non existence of a larger hotel room tax for non residents which our legislators continue to shut down. Check out your hotel bill whenever you visit other states.

[Miulang]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

The Aquarium in Waikiki is a fantastic place! My kids always enjoyed going there and long for an aquatic showcase in Hilo. It's a safe way to learn and understand our reefs around our islands.

The Big Island lacks venues such as a good place to see our marine life. Why is it that when looking at the state as a whole, the only consideration remains Oahu? Everything is all about Oahu and forget the rest of the state.

Okay so fine another aquarium isn't needed on Oahu, but what about the neighbor islands? We are part of the state of Hawaii too.

Lavagal is right: if the Big Island wants an aquarium, why not find somebody who's willing to build it? Doesn't have to be as big and sprawling as Maui Ocean Center (which really is world class) but something smaller, maybe an aquarium the size of the Waikiki Aquarium and make it more for the residents and not for the tourists so it's more affordable (even with a 10% kama'aina discount, admission prices for an adult at MOC are still > $20, and how many locals can afford to go someplace that charges $20/head all the time? For a family of 4, that would be close to $100, nevermind the food and the souvenirs that you would end up buying. Does UHH have a marine biology dept.? Maybe a developer could work something out with the UH and have a little aquarium on the Big Island that can also be used for research purposes.

Miulang

[Kungpao]

Re: New Kaka`ako aquarium, or not?

I'm not hip on pissing on tourists... mainly cause I'm one myself but in my own view, I wouldn't see it as being pissed on for being a tourist. I would see it as a way to give back to the place that I'm being a tourist in. I could go on about other things like sales tax but it's not the place. As a tourist... I personally feel that it's rather cheap to go out there as opposed to going on vacation in let's say Chicago to visit my folks where sales tax is 9%