Where is Haseko on their Ewa Project?

 Ladies and gentlemen,
 
As the Chairperson of the Economic Development Committee of the Ewa Neighborhood Board, I have been requesting an update on the planned resort community that Haseko says they will build here in Ewa Beach.
 
Because of the extensive and far-reaching effects this proposed resort will have on the Ewa Plain, as well as the Leeward District in general (including Kapolei and Makakilo), I have made several requests to have a standing report added to the Ewa Neighborhood Board Meeting agenda.
 
At last night’s Ewa Neighborhood Board, the proposed report was added as literally the last item on the agenda, a time very late in the meeting.  In fact, as all Board members and many community members know, at the end of the Board meetings, almost all of the residents have departed the Ewa Beach Public Library where the meeting is held (on the second Thursday of every month @ 7PM).
 
According to the press release distributed by Haseko in May 2017, “Wai Kai at Hoakalei will introduce to Hawai'i a first-ever experiential marketplace designed and curated to create a waterfront retail experience consisting of retail brand showcases, entertainment, and extensive dining choices in a highly engaging and interactive environment. Seven major restaurants, a 10,000-square-foot specialty market, and a 15,000-square-foot health club and spa are planned as anchors for the retail development. Entertainment, recreational offerings, and other attractions are also in the early planning stages.”
 
According to KHON2, “Wai Kai at Hoakalei would include more than 110 retail establishments, including nearly two dozen restaurants and cafes, and a collection of shops and entertainment venues that overlook the resort’s 52-acre recreational lagoon. There are also plans for a 10,000-square-foot specialty market and a 15,000-square-foot health club and spa.”
 
PLEASE NOTE: If Haseko proceeds and completes this Wai Kai at Hoakalei project, aside from the many planned communities that have popped up over the years, the Wai Kai at Hoakalei project will potentially have the greatest effect ever hoisted on the homeowners, residents, businesses, schools, and wildlife of Ewa Beach.
 
Let the previous statement sink in for a moment.
 
In fact, I will re-state the obvious:
 
If Haseko proceeds and completes this Wai Kai at Hoakalei project, it will potentially have the greatest effect ever hoisted on the current homeowners, residents, businesses, schools, and wildlife of Ewa Beach.

Think about the potential effects:
~ Jobs (GOOD)
~ Visitors (GOOD)
~ Traffic (NOT-SO-GOOD)
~ Effect on existing businesses (NOT SURE)
~ Effects on schools and students (NOT SURE)
~ Effects on You, she, he, and me (NOT SURE)
~ Property values and associated taxes (NOT SURE)
 
It is for this reason that I have been consistently requesting an update from the developer. 
 
The developer has a representative that attends the Ewa Neighborhood Board Meetings.  However, whenever the representative is asked to provide an update on the progress of the Wai Kai at Hoakalei project, the answer is consistently, “I don’t have any information.”
 
              This is a totally unacceptable answer.

Moreover, as a member of the Neighborhood Board, I consistently hear area residents express frustration that “developers don’t do enough for the community.” 
 
To be sure, developers have made significant contributions to the community.  And many continue to do so, including Haseko.
 
However, given the controversy of the Wai Kai at Hoakalei project, a rational person would think that the developer would want to periodically update the Ewa and Kapolei community on “an exciting new marketplace with brand showcases, live experiences, and culinary theaters in a majestic place at the water's edge."
 
Sounds exciting, right?
 
Then why is it so difficult to obtain an update of where the project stands?
 
The Ewa Neighborhood Board will be in recess during the month of December.  However, please mark your calendars for the second Thursday in January; we WILL have accountability.

Visit ewa4ewa.com for updates...
 
With aloha,
John H. Clark III

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the Haseko Press Release from 2017