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Outrigger Spending $23 Million to Upgrade the 
545 Room Royal Waikolaon on Kona
 
HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII - January 20, 1999 -- One of the original resort hotels on the Big Island's Kohala Coast will greet the year 2000 with a dramatic new look and substantially upgraded facilities and services.

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts announced today that it will spend more than $23 million to redesign and rebuild the 545-room Royal Waikoloan Hotel. When the five-month project is completed in the fall of 1999, the popular oceanfront hotel will be renamed the Outrigger Waikola Beach Resort and repositioned as a deluxe, full-service resort.

The reconstructed property will feature a new lobby, porte cochere, restaurant, lounge and meeting rooms, as well as an expanded theme pool and sundeck area. The ballroom and all guest rooms will be completely renovated and there will be significant upgrades to the kitchens and the hotel's other back-of-the-house facilities.

According to David Carey, president and chief operating officer of Outrigger Enterprises, the company has ambitious plans for the property. "When the work is done, the Outrigger Waikola Beach Resort will have a distinctive new look and a more authentic Hawaiian ambiance," Carey said. "It will take its place among our expanding portfolio of upscale resort properties in the Pacific, such as the Outrigger Wailea, Outrigger Guam and Outrigger Hotel Tahiti."

Carey added that the renovation to the hotel's physical structure will be accompanied by a number of service enhancements. "These improvements will help us better compete in the growing meetings and incentive market, as well as increase the resort's appeal to family travelers," he said.

News of the renovation project follows the announcement in September 1998 that Outrigger would purchase the Royal Waikoloan, which it has managed since 1991. Carey said Outrigger's decision to buy and renovate the Royal Waikoloan -- as well as its recent announcement that it will purchase the former Maui Inter-Continental Resort --represents a significant investment in Hawaii's future. "This is a vote of confidence for Hawaii as a tourism destination," he said. "It is also a significant step in Outrigger's expansion efforts and our increasing focus on beachfront resort properties."

As part of the renovation project, the Royal Waikoloan will close on June 1,1999 and re-open for guests in October. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for early December.

According to new General Manager Robin Graf, the closure of the Royal Waikoloan is necessary to minimize inconvenience to guests. "After reviewing the project, we felt that the scope of the work would have been a tremendous inconvenience to guests. It was a difficult decision to make, but it's the only one that was practical".

"The Royal Waikoloan has always enjoyed one of the Big Island's very best beachfront locations. This level of investment will allow the new Outrigger Waikola Beach Resort to take full advantage of its splendid site," Graf said.

"During the time when the property is under renovation, visitors wishing to stay on the Big Island may want to consider the Kanaloa at Kona, one of the resort condominiums managed by Outrigger, or book the Outrigger Wailea Resort on Maui," noted Graf.

The Royal Waikoloan is situated on the 500-acre Waikoloa Resort that also includes two championship golf courses. The hotel enjoys the best beach on the coast and is the site of rare ancient Hawaiian fishponds and petroglyph fields. 

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is a division of Outrigger Enterprises, the 50th largest lodging company in the world. Outrigger operates more than 9,800 rooms in 30 hotels and resort condominiums in Hawaii, making it the largest hotel chain in the islands. The company also has properties open or under development in Australia, Palau, Guam, French Polynesia, Fiji and the Marshall Islands. In 1997, the company celebrated 50 years anniversary of doing business in Hawaii. Outrigger's affiliate, Outrigger Lodging Services, manages nearly two dozen hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. mainland.

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Contact:
Sandi Yara Public Relations Director
Phone: 808-921-6803
Nancy Daniels
Public Relations Manager
Phone: 808-921-6839
www.outrigger.com
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Also See: Outrigger Enterprises to PurchaseThe Royal Waikoloan Hotel / Sept 1998 
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts to operate the former Maui Inter-Continental Wailea Resort / Nov 1998 
 

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