Closure Closure ADVERTISING Course was also a tourist draw I would like to add my voice in asking the county to do a serious evaluation of taking over golf operations at Kona Country Club. The easy response is we can’t
Closure
Course was also
a tourist draw
I would like to add my voice in asking the county to do a serious evaluation of taking over golf operations at Kona Country Club. The easy response is we can’t afford it, especially for such a nonessential service. But it’s more than catering to a relatively small segment of golfers or the endless competition for resources between East and West Hawaii. It’s also about generating tourism revenue and a long-term vision of brand identification for Kona.
Look at the hundreds of golf bags coming off the conveyer belts at the airport every day. Sure, many of those golfers are going straight to the resorts in Kohala. But as many people who understand the allure of the sport know, there are many ingredients that go into creating a high caliber golf destination and one important one is variety of courses. Having an oceanside jewel in Keauhou enhances our whole destination experience.
The loss of Kona Country Club would be a major degradation of tourism infrastructure. So yes, it is about competition. We are competing against other islands and golf destinations.
I hope the county considers that, and room taxes and the health of other local businesses, if and when they do their analysis.
Harry Wong
Kailua-Kona
Beach
Dogs need a
place to play, too
The fact that Mr. Weza refers to Alula Bay as the “dog beach” implies he knows that people take their dogs there so I’m not sure why he would pick this beach to take his children over all the other county and state beaches and parks up and down the coast that do not allow dogs.
In the four years that I have been frequenting the “dog beach,” I have found most pet owners to be responsible and the dogs to be social (noted by Mr. Weza — eight dogs were already there without incident). Of course, if someone arrives with a dog that acts aggressively, the dog owners at the beach do try to self-regulate by suggesting owners of these dogs put them on a leash or leave. And yes, there are those that ignore the unspoken rule of picking up after their dog but on the whole, the area is kept pretty clean.
Unlike most cities and towns these days, Kona does not have any sanctioned areas for dogs. This is one of the only places in West Hawaii where dogs are able to socialize and exercise off leash. For many of us our dogs are our “children.” Please don’t keep us tied to our backyards in order to spend time with them and, no, buying a pool is not an option for most of us.
Jean Thompson
Kailua-Kona
