News for the Hospitality Executive |
LANA'I, Hawaii, January 22, 2004 - Six months of landscaping preparations
draw to a close as The Lodge at Koele readies to welcome the first tournament
of the 2004 Croquet Fever season. The 2004 Croquet Fever Kickoff is a four-day
International Rules tournament and Pro-Am scheduled to be held on The Lodge
at Koele's two new championship croquet courts. Close to 30 players, including
several who are nationally ranked, are expected to compete in the inaugural
Lana'i tournament.
Croquet Fever is a USCA sanctioned series of 11 tournaments that was previously held solely in the Southeastern United States. However, popularity of Croquet Fever tournaments in the Southeast has broadened the horizons of the 2004 season to include Lana'i, Hawaii, the Southern-most state in the U.S. This tournament also marks the first use of International Rules in Croquet Fever tournaments (previous tournaments were conducted only under American 6-Wicket Rules). The Lodge at Koele resembles a grand country estate with its towering
pines and rolling gardens in the cooler central highlands of Lana'i, a
perfect climate and ambiance for croquet. The USCA sanctioned Croquet Fever
tournaments are carefully designed to involve players of all handicap levels
in tournament croquet that is affordable in terms of both time and money.
February is also a popular time for whale-watching in the warm waters of
the channel between Lana'i and Maui.
The island of Lana'i lies off the western coast of the island of Maui and is the sixth largest of the major Hawaiian Islands. It is approximately 13 miles wide and 18 miles long, with ground elevations varying from sea level to more than 3,400 feet. Lana'i has only 2,800 full-time residents and features miles of untouched beaches. Two airlines--Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air -- offer more than 100 scheduled flights weekly, and Expeditions operates five round-trip ferries daily from Lahaina, Maui. The resorts on Lana'i are members of The Luxury Collection Hawaii of Starwood Hotels and Resorts. For more information:
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
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