Now & Again

1966

Aloha Airlines no longer features the conference-style seating for interisland flights that it did in 1966. And, with the addition of six new Boeing 737-200 jets this summer, there will be more flights with passengers facing forward, instead of each other.

1981 Big Expectations

Known for its bright colors and longevity after cutting, protea, a sea urchin look-alike plant, flourished in Kula, Maui, in 1981, with the promise of generating millions in sales. Commonly referred to as kings and queens, the royal family drew interest not only from local growers, but also University of Hawaii researchers, who hoped to help adapt the South African native plant to the tropical climate of Hawaii.

According to the May 1981 issue of Hawaii Business, protea was acclimating well and bloomed best at elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 feet. Kula was one of only two locations in Hawaii where it was being cultivated.

Due to the expense of land and the difficulty of cultivation, local growers sold just 1.9 million protea stems, generating about $1.4 million in sales, in 2004--short of the multimillion dollar projections of more than a decade earlier.

There is still hope for the protea. The University of Hawaii Protea Research Project continues to see the potential of developing improved hybrids to increase commercial use in Hawaii.

1991 Field and Revenue Streams

In May 1991, Hawaii Business analyzed Castle & Cooke's decision to end pineapple production and build two major hotels on Lanai, changing the lifestyle of Lanai's tight-knit community forever.

The Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay were estimated to attract 40,000 to 60,000 more visitors to the island and expected to ignite a different type of labor.

"For the new generation, the change provided them better opportunities in Lanai versus if they were living elsewhere. It is not uncommon to see high school graduates working at the management level in various departments of the hotels' operation," says Eric Barsatan, grant officer and project director at Maui County Office of Economic Development.

Since the opening of the two hotels, the percent of hotel occupancy in Maui County has risen from 50.41 percent in 1991 to 69.54 percent in 2004. The average revenue per room has tripled in that time and, for investors such as Castle & Cooke, the decision to end an era and start anew appears to have been profitable.