“We want to restore this in the right way. Do it in a way that the community will be proud of,” stated Jon Day, Reef Capital Partners Chief Financial Officer.The newly modernized resort will be smaller than the original hotel with 350 rooms compared to over 400 rooms. It will include the restoration of the iconic Lotus, Flame, and Seashell restaurants, the 15-acre coconut grove, and other improvements.
“It’s a place that’s special to lots of different groups of people. It was always a gathering place for the people of Kauai. Almost everybody either worked here or knew somebody who worked at the Coco Palms,” stated Day.
According to Reef Capital, the $400 million project will boost the island economically creating more than 300 construction jobs just for the restoration. Once the hotel is open, it will employ more than 400 people, said Day.