FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I – Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the Ko Olina Community Association (KOCA) have come to an agreement to reopen Ko Olina’s four privately owned lagoons with new precautions that prioritize public access but maintain safety for residents, employees and visitors.
“This is a great example of how the people can win when the public and private sectors come together and collaborate toward a common goal,” said Mayor Caldwell. “Today, after much deliberation, the City and Ko Olina are able to share a revised reopening plan that opens up public parking stalls at each of the lagoons, increasing public access to the beaches while adhering to the safety guidelines set by the County, the State and the CDC.”
Continued Caldwell, “Ko Olina is taking additional measures to assist the County and the State by creating a secondary surveillance testing site at the resort’s medical facility. Testing will be available for Ko Olina employees, residents, and guests of the resort. It will also be available to westside kama’aina by appointment. We appreciate their willingness to listen and work with us to create a plan that can keep everyone safe.”
Beginning Friday, October 16, 2020, a total of 111 public parking stalls will be available at Ko Olina as follows:
• Lagoon 1 at 50% capacity: 20 public parking stalls available;
• Lagoon 2 at 100% capacity or 20 public parking stalls available;
• Lagoon 3 at 100% capacity or 20 public parking stalls available; and
• Lagoon 4 at 50% capacity or 51 public parking stalls available
“Ko Olina has always been a strong community steward, and especially supportive of our West O’ahu neighbors,” said Jeffrey R. Stone, Ko Olina’s master developer. “We apologize for disappointing any of our resident ‘ohana. Our goal has always been to create the safest environment possible as we reopen our hotels and resort businesses.”
“No one has faced the devastating effects of COVID-19 before. We appreciate the City’s willingness to share the community’s feedback and to work with us as we navigate through these difficult times,” continued Stone. “I believe this plan provides Ko Olina confidence in re-opening safely and satisfies the public’s desire for access to the shoreline. Getting our Ko Olina resorts to reopen, which cater mostly to families, and bringing our employees back to work safely have been my main goals.”
Ko Olina’s new reopening plan incorporates the health and safety guidelines set forth by the CDC and City, including monitoring social distancing, face covering requirements, large group gatherings and hand washing. While shoreline users will be urged to stay within the lagoon area they originated from, all will be permitted to traverse throughout the lagoons if observing the resort’s safety protocols.
Contacts:
Alexander Zannes, Mayor’s Office
(808) 489-0341
Sweetie Nelson, Ko Olina Resort Operators Association, Inc.
(808) 671-2512