Coco Palms Hotel APPROVED!

The permits to extend the Iniki Ordinance for two years in order for Coco Palms to officially be rebuilt have been approved!

Although the full Kaua'i council must give final approval next week, it's basically a done deal as council supporters are in the overwhelming majority. They have five of the seven votes. 

Chad Waters and Tyler Green, are the local investors who hope to rebuild Coco Palms. The builders are Craig Kawakami Builders. Once rebuilding starts, Waters said it will take between 12 to 24 months to deliver a hotel close to what it was like before the hurricane. The 396-room Coco Palms will be rebuilt with the existing square footage, under the guidance of what is allowed by the Iniki Ordinance. The three main buildings will be stripped down to their concrete structure. All wooden buildings will be rebuilt just the way it was.

Coco Palms is a famous Hawaiian resort located at 4-1345 Kuhio Highway. Coco Palms is where Elvis Presley's filmed several scenes for his 1961 film Blue Hawaii. Coco Palms Resort is located in Wailuā, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, and it opened its doors to guests on January 25th, 1953. Numerous celebrities have vacationed at Coco Palms. The Coco Palms has been closed since being hit by Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

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Here is an e-mail shared below sent by Larry Rivera regarding the very exciting Coco Palms news.

 Larry Rivera began working at Coco Palms in 1955 as a busboy, Larry sang in Elvis' film Blue Hawaii, and he has been part of the caretaking team of Coco Palms since the Iniki Hurricane. Bob and Jerri Jasper are the official Coco Palms caretakers. For years Larry has assisted in giving tours of the Coco Palms property. Larry also performs romantic Blue Hawaii wedding ceremonies and vow renewals in the original Coco Palms wedding chapel, and along the historic lagoon. 

E-mail from Larry Rivera:

"ALOHA EVERYONE.......WE WON!!!"
 
"The Kauai Council hearing has approved and voted for the rebuilding of Coco Palms."
 
"I am so glad. Not for me,  but for the 325 people that will have jobs,  and the Heart Of Kauai will once more beat again."

God Bless....
Larry Rivera

sources: Larry Rivera, Bob Jasper, Rick Wahlgren, the Coco Palms Resort- Kauai Facebook group page, and the Garden Island Online News.