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Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Friday, January 21, 2000

GOLF WATCH

Governor’s Ala Wai
plan a bad dream

EITHER Gov. Ben Cayetano is a lousy golfer or he can't get a starting time at Ala Wai. Whatever the case, his plan for shutting down one of the world's busiest golf courses, if not the busiest, which generates nearly $2.5 million a year in income, in favor of Honolulu's version of Central Park is way out of bounds.

With Kapiolani Park, Paki Park, the Waikiki Shell grounds, Honolulu Zoo and Aquarium, Queen's Surf beach area and Ala Wai field surrounding the venerable golf course, what we all need is additional park space at the cost of replacing a municipal golf course that commands a waiting list for tee times.

The gov's plan calls for commercial activities, including restaurants, possibly an amphitheater for concerts, and a retail center developed as a tourist attraction on the Ala Wai Golf Course. As if the retailers in Waikiki need more competition. Besides, I thought Kapiolani Park was our Central Park?

Of course, the plan will require thousands of parking stalls. Pave paradise, put up a parking lot in place of the green belt that separates Waikiki from the good folks of Kaimuki.

Also, it would be yet another recreational venue - the most convenient golf course, in this case - taken away from the local populace and turned into a tourist haven. It's bad enough that local residents can't even go to Haunama Bay anymore as they did in bygone years.

But I digress.

There are other reasons against the idea. For one, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Why remove a perfectly acceptable golf course and develop another one when the money could be well spent elsewhere?

The governor says a golf course can be built at Sand Island for an estimated $9 million. Well, a pitch-and-putt course maybe.

There's no way otherwise.

For example, Ala Wai just sent out bids to replace its cart paths and the minimum was $1.5 million. The recently built maintenance facility cost $2 million and Ala Wai's clubhouse alone set the city back $6.1 million.

If you want to talk about an entire 18-hole golf course, consider that West Loch was built for $24 million and Ewa Villages $35 million.

Nine million dollars? Mr. Sand Island Man, dream me a dream.

Actually, to my way of thinking, Cayetano wasn't really serious. I think he just wants to tweak the city, which benefits from the state-owned land. Notice, too, that as a lame duck, he said that his plan has to be carried through to its completion by the next governor.

Why of course, that's exactly what the gubernatorial candidates need on their platforms in seeking the office. Considering that any politician who has tried to take Ala Wai from the golfers never got elected, it seems Cayetano is trying to make it difficult for the next guy who wants his job.

GREAT PUBLICITY

Tiger Woods' thrilling victory in the Mercedes Championships paid off in great publicity for Hawaii as well in follow-up advertisements in national golf magazines.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority used a tie-in with Tiger for its "Hawaii, the Islands of Aloha" campaign, urging readers to visit its www.gohawaii.com golf website.

Mercedes ran an ad with Tiger's photo, adding winning the Mercedes Championships wasn't enough, now he gets to go to Kapalua, Maui, again. It was the first in a series of ads that the auto company will run congratulating a PGA tournament winner for qualifying in the 2001 Mercedes Championships at Kapalua next January.