04-24-2015, 05:46 AM
Hilo DID have some top quality hotels & one resort...way before Waikaloa....but we have had rain...which is a turnoff to some vacationers - but not to one of the largest potential tourist markets...see article below...
In my mind, the largest set back we have had was in allowing the slum landlord that took over some of our better hotels to continue for as long as Hawaii County did....luckily some have stepped up to correct the wrongs he did, but Ken should never have been allowed to have such a stranglehold on the tourist properties here!
I do believe that with the investors that have put their money up & people willing to step up, Hilo can remain the 2nd city in Hawaii (btw: ITO will most likely remain, as Hilo is still a very important "port" for goods & services)
For those that may not know, for over a century the Kona side was the side with scary lava flows (just look at the area around Waikaloa, ya' think anyone would have thought "Tourist Destination" in the early 1800's?
Hilo has taken some scary hits over the last century+, starting with a lava flow, layered with a slew of every-decade-tsunamis & then another lava flow heading her way... It has been over 3 decades since anything big came towards Hilo...but there is a natural hesitancy after sooo much... but it is now easing up...only time will tell if more investment will come her way...
Article on correcting Kens legacy:
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections...bloom.html
In my mind, the largest set back we have had was in allowing the slum landlord that took over some of our better hotels to continue for as long as Hawaii County did....luckily some have stepped up to correct the wrongs he did, but Ken should never have been allowed to have such a stranglehold on the tourist properties here!
I do believe that with the investors that have put their money up & people willing to step up, Hilo can remain the 2nd city in Hawaii (btw: ITO will most likely remain, as Hilo is still a very important "port" for goods & services)
For those that may not know, for over a century the Kona side was the side with scary lava flows (just look at the area around Waikaloa, ya' think anyone would have thought "Tourist Destination" in the early 1800's?
Hilo has taken some scary hits over the last century+, starting with a lava flow, layered with a slew of every-decade-tsunamis & then another lava flow heading her way... It has been over 3 decades since anything big came towards Hilo...but there is a natural hesitancy after sooo much... but it is now easing up...only time will tell if more investment will come her way...
Article on correcting Kens legacy:
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections...bloom.html