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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
80,000 square feet
of Hawaiian kitsch
opens today in VegasTHE way to get around concerns over authenticity and cultural sensitivity is to describe something as "-themed," as in, "Hawaiian-themed."
Such is the case with the $175 million, 80,000-square-foot Hawaiian Marketplace that opened on the Las Vegas Strip today after an invitation-only soiree last night.
Invitees were to be entertained by Na Leo, but any other authenticity was hard to find. Publicist Mario Ruiz was forced to divide his attention between the conference he was attending and the pesky columnist from Hawaii on the other end of his cell phone, hurling questions about types and sources of flowers, mere hours before the big event he was to handle.
It would include a luau "with hula dancing and we're going to have leis distributed," he said.
Last night's invitees included the usual suspects -- politicians, businessfolk and the media -- but there were also bigwigs from the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade organization wrapping up its annual conference today.
Inspired by the International Market Place in Waikiki, the Vegas center is chock-full of faux tropical flora and fauna, grass shacks and tikis.
Regular, daily Hawaiian music and Polynesian dance will be provided by Team Aloha, which is made up of mostly Hawaii-raised ex-pats.
The project was developed by a partnership between the Torino Cos. of Nevada and New York-based Flag Luxury Properties.
Retailers include Yokohama Okadaya, the Stogie Shop and Suncatchers; restaurants include Hamada of Japan, Wahoo's Fish Tacos and an assortment of other quick-service restaurants and specialty food shops such as Mrs. Field's Cookies.
Not invited to last night's paina was Mel Ozeki, publisher and editor of Ohana Magazine, a publication that keeps ex-pats in touch with home and locals up to date on Las Vegas. He had sent an inquiry about the marketplace so he could write about it, but never heard back. He is unaware of any bonafide Hawaii connection, but his wife told him, "regardless, you must take me there," he chuckled.
Construction of the Hawaiian Marketplace was revealed at last year's ICSC event and it was to have opened last fall. Tony Dazzio, vice president of Las Vegas-based contractor Burke & Associates, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the project kept expanding, pushing the opening date back. The original estimated cost was $140 million.
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com