FAQs

We’re delighted that the Coco Palms is being restored. After more than two decades of effort by various groups, all permits and approvals to complete the restoration have been obtained. Demolition and construction have begun.  

One of the three large, dilapidated concrete buildings (the former Shell building) has been demolished, as have the King and Queen cottages and the King Lagoon building.  The other large concrete buildings will be demolished in spring and early summer 2024.

Completion of the restoration and hotel opening are anticipated in 2026.

Photo and video footage of the initial removal of the dilapidated hotel structures can be found here.

• Restoration of a historic place that is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Hawaiʻi Register of Historic Places

• Restoration and clean up of the historic fishponds

• Eliminating an eyesore and a source of crime and arson and instead treating this special place with the respect that it deserves

• Clean up of tens of thousands of pounds of trash and over 100 abandoned vehicles

• Providing 40 parking spaces for Kauaʻi residents to use to enjoy Wailua Beach

• Providing a public comfort station (restroom) for Kauaʻi residents to use that are visiting Wailua Beach

• Having a place where guests can experience native Hawaiian cultural education

• 30 additional affordable housing units provided to the community

• Creation of more than 300 construction jobs and more than 400 full time jobs

• More than $400 million of direct restoration spending and hundreds of millions of dollars of indirect economic benefit in the community

• Millions of dollars of additional tax revenue every year for Kauaʻi

All buildings are being rebuilt above what is known as the base flood elevation, which requires raising the buildings anywhere from a couple of feet to more than 9 feet. That will put the buildings above the historic flood elevation.  

The exceptions are the Queens Audience Hall and the Retail Building on Kuhio Highway, which cannot be raised above the base flood elevation without falling apart. These buildings are being made flood-resistant so they can also withstand a historic flood.

No one has more incentive than we do to ensure the Coco Palms is restored in a way that will allow it to survive future flooding.

A cultural advisory committee of Kauaʻi kupuna was organized to consult on the restoration.

The committee began by meeting with native Hawaiians, then with other residents of Wailua, and lastly with the broader Kauaʻi community.  

In those meetings, the community asked for dozens of principles to be followed in the restoration of Coco Palms.  We carefully collected and assembled those principles into a guiding document, and we follow those principles to ensure the restoration is done appropriately.

The cultural advisory committee is still active and continues to solicit feedback from the community. In addition, please share your manaʻo with us via the comment section of this website.

A Traffic Impact Analysis Report was prepared as part of the initial permitting process.

We expect limited traffic impact from Coco Palms guests as Coco Palms will strongly discourage guests from bringing vehicles to the property through several means, including:

• Reducing the number of hotel rooms from over 400 that were in existence when Hurricane Iniki struck to just 350 rooms in the approved design.

• Providing a free shuttle service to and from the airport so guests don’t need a vehicle

• Providing shuttle service to some of Kauaʻi’s most beautiful attractions so guests won’t need a vehicle.  

• Charging a meaningful overnight parking fee to discourage guests from bringing vehicles to the property.

• We expect the relatively few guests that bring vehicles to the property will use them mostly outside of “rush hour,” causing minimal impact to traffic.

• We also expect limited traffic impact from our future employees.  Many of the hospitality workers on Kauaʻi live in the Kapaʻan area (as well as Lihue). Bringing them onto the Coco Palms team will actually reduce traffic vs. the commutes that they are currently making to other resort properties.

• Coco Palms has paid for improvements to the bus stop and other traffic items in the area around the Resort to improve traffic flow as well.

Finally, an updated Traffic Impact Analysis Report (TIAR) will be issued after Coco Palms has opened to measure the hotel’s impact on traffic.

Yes, we have made an enormous effort to clean up this area.  

A large illegal encampment was established on conservation lands resulting in noise, crime, and safety concerns. The residents of the encampment extensively grubbed and graded the property before and during the Covid pandemic.

We obtained control of this land in 2022 after the incidents described above.  In response to neighbors' pleas to address these issues, as well as the State government’s request to address these issues, the Coco Palms team spent tens of thousands of dollars to remove thousands of pounds of trash and nearly 100 abandoned vehicles from the site. Those efforts stopped the grading and grubbing that had been going on from continuing.

If the resort is not restored, the site will continue to be a blight on the community. Homelessness, crime, and safety concerns at the site will continue. A National and Hawaiʻi historic landmark will be lost. The historic Coconut Grove, which had dropped from over 2,000 trees to just 75 when the Coco Palms first opened, will likely return to that reduced and decayed state. In addition, hundreds of jobs and over $400 million in economic impacts for Kauaʻi will be lost.

No. Over the past 30 years, the property has been poorly maintained by prior owners. As a result, a large homeless encampment was established resulting in noise, crime, and safety concerns. The residents of the encampment extensively grubbed and graded the property before and during the Covid pandemic as demonstrated on satellite images. In response to neighbors’ pleas to address these issues, as well as the Hawaii State government’s request to address these issues, the Coco Palms team spent tens of thousands of dollars to remove thousands of pounds of trash and  nearly 100 abandoned vehicles from the site. Those efforts stopped the grading and grubbing that had been going on from continuing.

Yes. The State Historic Preservation Division approved an Archaeological Monitoring Plan for the project. Pursuant to this plan, archaeological monitoring is required for all ground disturbing activities. Archaeological monitoring includes documentation of the installation and maintenance of any interim protective measures for the hotel lagoon and any architectural properties for which interim protection may be appropriate.

Coco Palms has a fish and wildlife plan in place to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

 Yes. Coco Palms is named after the beautiful Coconut Grove that is an essential part of this remarkable place.  

The Coconut Grove was planted 130 years ago by Mr. Lindeman in a failed attempt to operate a copra business (mostly coconut oil).By the 1950s, the Coconut Grove had declined from more than 2,000 trees to 75 trees and was at risk of dying out.  

The Coco Palms hotel was founded in 1953 and the hotel and its primary proprietor, Grace Guslander, nursed the Coconut Grove back to health. We are honored to assume Ms. Guslander’s kuleana to landscape and maintain the coconut trees consistent with modern nursery and landscaping practices without changing the appearance or characteristics of this historic feature. 

While none of the original trees remain, the Coco Palms historically replaced dead trees with new ones to renew the grove.  We will continue that tradition.