HANALEI — An agreement has been reached between Hanalei Bay Resort owners and Florida-based management company Celebrity Resorts, according to a letter sent this week to members of the Vacation Owners Association and the Association of Apartment Owners. Several allegations
HANALEI — An agreement has been reached between Hanalei Bay Resort owners and Florida-based management company Celebrity Resorts, according to a letter sent this week to members of the Vacation Owners Association and the Association of Apartment Owners.
Several allegations were made in recent months by timeshare and full-time condo owners regarding Celebrity Resorts’ involvement with the 30-year-old property. Since then, members of the VOA and AOAO Board of Directors, along with their legal counsel, had a “very busy summer” involving “confidential discussions with Celebrity Resorts,” the letter states.
California-based Trading Places International will assume management duties at the North Shore vacation destination, but Celebrity Resorts will continue to own Bali Hai restaurant and Happy Talk Lounge, the letter says.
TPI was one of the six management companies board representatives contacted when they sought “alternative management.”
“Their references are outstanding,” the letter says.
Celebrity Resorts will continue to have “exclusive rights to market timeshare sales at HBR and to rent unused timeshare weeks under an agreement with the VOA.”
“… We look forward to working with them in a harmonious relationship,” the letter states.
It was previously reported in a July 4 article titled “Hanalei Bay Resort owners battle management” that one reason owners sought to terminate Celebrity Resort’s contract was its inability to recognize board members of the VOA elected prior to management transitions.
However, there will be “a reconciliation and redefinition of association operational control in favor of the owners and the installation and empowering of a member-only board of directors,” according to the letter.
Dick Schweickert, VOA president, said he was “happy” with the outcome, but declined to make further comment due to “confidentiality.”
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” timeshare owner Lynn Kettleson said Wednesday. “It looks like a good resolution, but we’ll see how the details work out.”
Though he couldn’t speak for other owners, he said the boards should be “commended for doing a wonderful job of resolving this issue.”
A transition will occur where an auditor will “review all income, expenses and advances made by Celebrity for both of the association’s financials to generate a final monetary settlement.”
HBR employees will become TPI employees and it is TPI’s plan to retain “most” of them, according to the letter.
Vice President of TPI Resort Management Douglas Wilcox said they are “very excited,” but was unable to provide further comment at press time.
Attempts to reach Celebrity Resorts for comment were unsuccessful.
• Coco Zickos, business and environmental writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or czickos@kauaipubco.com.
