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HAWAII

Builder seeks lien against Kahala Nui

The builder of Kahala Nui, an Oahu luxury retirement development that opened in February, has asked a state court to place a lien on the $200 million facility.

Nordic/PCL, a joint venture of Nordic Construction Ltd. and PCL Construction Services Inc. of Honolulu, claims it is owed $6.5 million for labor, materials, services and equipment for the project, which includes 270 apartments and 123 assisted-living units on more than six acres on Malia Street in Kahala.

The request comes a month after a building supplier, G.W. Killebrew Co., asked the court to place a lien against Nordic/PCL.

Executives of Kahala Nui declined comment. Nordic/PCL did not return calls. Lyle Ishida, an attorney for Nordic/PCL, declined comment.

Also named in Nordic/PCL's lien is the Catholic Diocese, which leases the land to Kahala Nui. Bill Burton, business manager for the Catholic Diocese, said requests for liens were not uncommon in large construction projects if there were disputes over payment.

United Laundry firm expands to Big Island

KAILUA-KONA » United Laundry Services, a company started on Oahu 18 years ago by Vicky Cayetano, wife of former Gov. Ben Cayetano, will open its first neighbor island branch in Kailua-Kona on July 15, the company announced. United Laundry serves hotel and health care markets on Oahu.

The Kona operation, called United Laundry Services-Kona LLC, is structured as a joint venture of United Holdings and Kobayashi Development Group. Vicky Cayetano will continue to serve as president and chief executive of United Laundry, while

The company entered the West Hawaii market because there are a large number of hotels in the area, but there was no high-volume commercial laundry there, said Ernie Nishizaki, United Laundry chairman.

The 35,000-square-foot facility uses tunnel washers where linens are placed in one end and emerge washed at the other end in two minutes, the company said.

A grand opening will be held July 15 at the facility site at 74-5475 Loloku St. in Kailua-Kona.

Spaces for startups offered in Waipahu

Space at the former Big Way Super Market in Waipahu is being offered as stall and kiosk spaces to startup businesses.

Stalls at the Waipahu Festival Market range from 175 to 300 square feet and kiosks will be about 110 square feet. Lease rents range from $365 to $975 a month. For more information, call 677-6939.

NATION

UnitedHealth to buy PacifiCare

UnitedHealth Group Inc., the No. 2 U.S. medical insurance company, said it will buy PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. for $8.14 billion, gaining the biggest manager of plans subsidized by the U.S. Medicare program.

UnitedHealth will exchange 1.1 of its shares plus $21.50 for each share of PacifiCare, the companies said yesterday. The $80.05 value for each PacifiCare share represents a 10 percent premium over Tuesday's closing price. The deal is the second-biggest ever in health insurance, based on data compiled by Bloomberg.

The move will help Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth boost profits as Medicare, the government medical program for the elderly and disabled, adds a prescription-drug benefit Jan. 1. Using private health plans to administer the program, Medicare may spend $60 billion next year on medicines for 30 million Americans, according to the government.

Concert sales fall, Pollstar says

LOS ANGELES » Ticket revenue from the top 100 concert tours in North America dropped 17 percent in the first half of this year versus a year ago, despite sold-out tours by U2, Green Day and Rod Stewart, according to data released yesterday by trade publication Pollstar.

First-half ticket revenue totaled $730.9 million, while the average price per ticket declined 6.1 percent to $50.27. Pollstar editor in chief Gary Bongiovanni expects the second half of the year to be stronger, with the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney taking to the road and U2 returning for a fall leg.

"From the industry perspective, things are much better than they seem. The shows that are out there are doing good business," said Bongiovanni, also noting that ticket sales declined for the first time in a decade.

Of the top-grossing shows in the first half of the year, U2 brought in $48.4 million with an average ticket price of $96.94, and Celine Dion grossed $43.9 million with an average ticket price of $136.70.

In other news ...

» Oil prices climbed nearly 3 percent to finish at a record above $61 a barrel yesterday and analysts warned of an imminent spike in the retail cost of gasoline as storm-related power outages disrupted some oil production and refining operations in the Gulf of Mexico.