Nestled amidst the lava rock, natural ponds and thick vegetation on the Island of Hawaii's renowned Kona Coast, Kennedy Wilson is leading a major renovation of Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort that will soon bring the beloved resort back to life following its 2011 closure. The reconstructed resort, expected to open in 2023, will target LEED certification and enhance the spirit of the original Kona Village Resort and its low-density layout, celebrate the power of the natural landscape and accentuate the Hawaiian and Pan-Pacific cultural identity through art, architecture and the natural environment.
Woven throughout the redevelopment plan is a focus on conservation of the cultural and natural resources that are abundant throughout the 81-acre site, which once served as a fishing village and today carries incredible importance for the community. A wide-ranging conservation plan guides the development team's perpetuation of Kona Village's anchialine ponds, lava fields and archeological sites, including a renowned petroglyph field, and ensures these resources will be preserved and protected. The plan also guides the team's interactions with culturally significant features that include a natural spring bubbling up from the ocean along the shore of Kona Village and significant archeological features we have preserved.
Building on the preservation commitment and the community engagement at neighboring Kohanaiki, Kennedy Wilson's plans to protect Kona Village's most important features were devised in close coordination with a cultural committee including Kupuna (elders), lineal descendants of the land, government officials and community stakeholders. Cultural consultants, anchialine pond experts, water quality, archeological and ecological consultants are all part of the Kona Village development team, and each person who steps foot onto the site is required to participate in a training program that underscores the collective responsibility to preserve and protect.
