COURTESY ROYAL HAWAIIAN SHOPPING CENTER
Cove Entertainment's planned $15 million entertainment showroom on the top floor of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki will double as an "ultra lounge" by night, and will be patterned after clubs in Las Vegas. CLICK FOR LARGE
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$15 million Waikiki showroom to double as 'ultra lounge'
There may be additional profits to be made -- on the catwalk.
At least that's what Kamehameha Schools will be banking on when its tenant Cove Entertainment builds a $15 million showroom on the top floor of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki.
The upstairs venue will be a cocktail show by evening, and an "ultra lounge" by night -- modeled after hip, trendy new clubs like Tabu and Studio 54 in Las Vegas.
It's slated to open next summer, when the center's $84 million renovation is expected to be complete.
Roy Tokujo, president and CEO of Cove Entertainment, says the 760-seat showroom will be like no other in Hawaii -- it will offer retractable chairs and catwalks that will allow it to transform into a nightclub after the show's curtains come down.
There also will be moving stages, rotating columns, video displays and rigging for acrobatic performers. The roof of the fourth-floor space will be raised to a 50-foot height.
"The problem with a theater is that it's a huge capital investment, and you only have one purpose for it," said Tokujo. "With multi-purpose use, you cut the risks."
An ultra lounge is typically an upscale club that offers a posh sitting area separate from the pulse of the dance music, with personal servers and exotic drinks.
The concept has been a popular buzzword around town for years, with everyone from one end of Waikiki to the other offering their own version. New ones are popping up, like Beau Mohr's Pearl, set to open this week at Ala Moana Center.
"We definitely saw it as a niche that wasn't being filled, though it's fairly common in bigger markets on the mainland," said Flash Hansen, a promoter who brought Skyline to the Sheraton Waikiki's Hanohano Room. "But it is catching on -- it's happening slowly."
Some ultra lounges in Waikiki already have come and gone. The Maharaja Ultra Lounge had a recent two-year run at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
"Ours was a true ultra lounge," said owner Peter Maharaj, who swears he had the comfiest couches. "It was a prototype to see if the concept would work in Hawaii, and it worked phenomenally."
But none in Hawaii, so far, feature an acrobatic catwalk.
Tokujo's creative team includes Roger Parent of Montreal-based Realisations, who worked for Cirque du Soleil. Tabu in Las Vegas creates a mood with interactive projections of sensual images, and hires models as servers.
Cove Entertainment is still determining cover charges for the club, though rates in higher-end clubs are typically $20 and higher, and a couple hundred dollars for a reserved table in the VIP section.
Besides the cover charge, cocktail and bar sales are expected to generate a significant source of revenue, which will hold a capacity of about 1,000. Cove will hire entertainers to perform on the catwalk.
"I think there's a definite need for new entertainment venues in Waikiki," said Susan Todani, Kamehameha Schools' director of development and planning. "It's important to have that nightlife and to have a vibrant Waikiki."
Having the nightclub would extend the hours of operation at the shopping center, she said, and bring traffic during later hours of the evening. Part of the center's challenges in the past included drawing traffic to the upper floors.
Tokujo, who is also managing partner of 'Ulalena, an acrobatic dance-drama on Maui, says the show will be like none already offered in Waikiki.
The show's working name, "Waikiki Nei," will feature a story line focusing on the Hawaiian mythology of the area.
"Waikiki has a great history," Tokujo said. "It has a great musical history. We'll bring back a lot of the old memories, as well as the new things."
Auditions will be held next month for a performance troupe of between 35 to 40. Total staff will number about 150, according to Tokujo. The show will likely run six days a week, with ticket prices similar to 'Ulalena, between $50 to $70.
The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, which stretches along three blocks of Kalakaua Avenue, offers 293,000 square feet of retail space. It is the single largest real estate investment in Kamehameha Schools' portfolio.
In addition to bringing in a new tenant mix to target both mainland and Japanese visitors, Kamehameha Schools is remodeling the fortress-like center to make it more modern and appealing.
"Everything we do at Kamehameha Schools must contribute to our Princess Pauahi's legacy," said Dee Jay Mailer, CEO of Kamehameha Schools. "So, not only will this show bring new revenue to Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, which supports the education Kamehameha Schools provides in our communities, but it will also offer local talent a chance to show their stuff to the world."