KORN owners - potential luau 2x week on lawn

[canesfan]

Just an FYI for those that would like to contact the board:

ownerboard.westinkaanapali@vacationclub.com
Craig Reynolds – President
Chris Compton – Vice President
P. Kay Coleman – Vice President
Angela Nolan – Secretary
Mary Fechtig – Treasurer


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[sjlola]

Just found this information:

Here’s the list of our current Board members:
Craig Reynolds – President
Chris Compton – Vice President
P. Kay Coleman – Vice President
Angela Nolan – Secretary
Mary Fechtig – Treasurer

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I hope they have directors' insurance because this is ripe for a class action lawsuit if the HOA lets this pass with detrimental effect to owners who pay the bills and bought with the expectation of access to facilities and noise abatement.

 

[Red elephant]

The best way to vote for something like this is with your feet. Don't sign up for it. Don't pay for it. Don't accept it as a gift for attending a presentation. That said, I bet a lot of owners will go to it.

I agree with this and peacefully protest against it. I know we are on vacation and that’s the last thing one wants to do but Marriott is getting out of hand and HOA is not listening.

 

[daviator]

If MVC wanted to lease space on the resort grounds to, say, a car dealership, to erect a small auto showroom (assuming such a thing was allowed by zoning, etc.) would they be permitted to do so? How would that be any different than what is being considered In terms of the MVC-controlled owners association being able to approve something which benefits MVC to the detriment of owners?

Perhaos this sounds elitist, but one thing I have always liked about “my” WKORV is that it does not attract non-owners/guests, which makes it a bit more quiet and peaceful than resorts which are more inviting to the general public. I oppose any proposed use which will imoact the quiet enjoyment of their property by owners.

Where would luau attendees park? Parking is already at a premium much of the time. .

 

[Hindsite]

If MVC wanted to lease space on the resort grounds

I doubt its anything to do with MVC. MVW possibly, though I suspect that the Sheraton and Westin resort management companies have a greater influence and the individual GMs are incentivised to drive revenue from the areas of the property that they control or can influence the HOA over. MVW isn't likely to be bothered how the GM generates revenue as long as it complies with Brand standards and local regulations. MVW will be focussed on the results and how to improve the share price, and I doubt the presence, or absence, of a Luau is going to do anything for the share price.
Its much easier to assign blame to a faceless corporate body, but the reality is that the local resort management team will be the ones driving this. GMs love to blame the corporate mothership rather than having the backbone to take responsibility for their decisions.

 

[YYJMSP]

Marriott (technically, one of its many wholly owned subsidiaries) IS the management company, so the local management (and all employees) are for all intents and purposes Marriott.

In addition to the licensing of the names Westin, Sheraton, Marriott, etc, the HOAs have hired Marriott to take care of everything...

 

[vacationtime1]

I doubt its anything to do with MVC. MVW possibly, though I suspect that the Sheraton and Westin resort management companies have a greater influence . . . .

Marriott (technically, one of its many wholly owned subsidiaries) IS the management company, so the local management (and all employees) are for all intents and purposes Marriott.

Marriott (MVC) is not the management company. MVW (which is no longer a subsidiary of MVC -- it is now a separately traded public corporation) is the manager, but that doesn't matter to the analysis.

The resort's general manager is a MVW employee, but is likely without authority to start these luaus without HOA approval. The HOA is elected by and reports to the owners, not to MVW, and is supposed to be focused on the owners' desires, not those of MVW.

This should very simple -- this is not a good thing for the owners. But because the HOA members are annointed by MVW, we will have to see how it plays out. In the interim, letting the HOA board know your opinion may push them towards the right answer.

 

[Hindsite]

MVW (which is no longer a subsidiary of MVC -- it is now a separately traded public corporation) is the manager, but that doesn't matter to the analysis.

MVW (VAR) was never a subsidiary of MVC, you may be mixing up with Marriott International (MAR), but as you say that doesn't change the situation, and owners should contact the GM, the HOA and MVW customer advocacy to ensure their perspective is registered. Any contact with MVC will get lost as its a completely separate from Vistana.

 

[daviator]

Just wrote to the board to express my views. Suggest other owners of weeks at WKORV do the same.

i reminded the board that despite their ties to MVW, they have a fiduciary responsibility to represent all owners and act in the interests of the owners and not the management company.

The luau proposal, presumably open to the general public, makes me angry as it serves MVW and does not serve owners in any way (quite the opposite, in fact.) Should it come to pass, I would happily donate to a fund to take legal action against the board for their actions against the interests of the owners they are obliged to represent.

 

[dioxide45]

I doubt you would see many of the general public at this. I suspect they think they would have enough volume from the three Westin resorts to fill the seats. Any others attending may just be from adjacent resorts on the beach.

 

[daviator]

I doubt you would see many of the general public at this. I suspect they think they would have enough volume from the three Westin resorts to fill the seats. Any others attending may just be from adjacent resorts on the beach.

You are probably right – but I still think the noise and visual disturbances would diminish owners' enjoyment of our resort.

The luau is the kind of thing that most people might do once – so the primary attendees will be first-time guests to the three resorts. Owners who stay repeatedly over the years are unlikely to attend more than once and it just becomes a tacky tourist event, primarily for non-owners, which distracts from the views and the experience (and probably ruins the lawn, I think I read that the proposal was to replace it with Astroturf or something... yuck.)

Of course, it would be a moneymaker for MVC (presumably they'd lease the space to a company that would run the events) but none of that money would be likely to flow to the HOA or benefit owners.

 

[Hindsite]

Of course, it would be a moneymaker for MVC (presumably they'd lease the space to a company that would run the events) but none of that money would be likely to flow to the HOA or benefit owners.

...and again...MVC won't make any money from it, pointy fingers at the wrong place. MVW might suck up a bit of margin, but more likely it will go into the Vistana management company accounts and the bonuses for the resort management team for meeting their revenue targets.

If you direct people to the wrong entity you won't get the problem solved.

 

[daviator]

...and again...MVC won't make any money from it, pointy fingers at the wrong place. MVW might suck up a bit of margin, but more likely it will go into the Vistana management company accounts and the bonuses for the resort management team for meeting their revenue targets.

If you direct people to the wrong entity you won't get the problem solved.

The Vistana Management Company IS MVW. Yes they have different accounts and subsidiaries but the buck stops at MVW.

I agree that it isn’t going to be a game-changing amount of money for MVW. But they probably think it will attract new people to the resort and then they can try to sell to them. As owners, that’s not our problem or a reason for the HOA to do ANYTHING.

 

[Hindsite]

The Vistana Management Company IS MVW. Yes they have different accounts and subsidiaries but the buck stops at MVW.

The point is, who gains? MVW and the shareholders not so much. The resort management team, regional Vistana team and their revenue bonuses, much, much more.

The HOA need to work for the overall benefit of owners and should be the focus of feedback, along with the resort/regional management teams.

Target energy at the right place, don't waste energy on the faceless corporate droids. Its personal for the owner experience, make the feedback personal to those driving the change. The resort/regional management teams have a variety of ways to make their revenue targets, this is just one of them.

 

[daviator]

The point is, who gains? MVW and the shareholders not so much. The resort management team, regional Vistana team and their revenue bonuses, much, much more.

The HOA need to work for the overall benefit of owners and should be the focus of feedback, along with the resort/regional management teams.

Target energy at the right place, don't waste energy on the faceless corporate droids. Its personal for the owner experience, make the feedback personal to those driving the change. The resort/regional management teams have a variety of ways to make their revenue targets, this is just one of them.

Oh I agree with all of that. The HOA board is the only entity that’s supposed to be working in the interest of owners so that’s where the pressure needs to go.

I wouldn’t be surprised if MVC sales is involved in driving this. Don’t you think that from day one we would see “sit for a 90 minute presentation and get free luau tickets!”….?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I doubt you would see many of the general public at this. I suspect they think they would have enough volume from the three Westin resorts to fill the seats. Any others attending may just be from adjacent resorts on the beach.

We won't go. We've attended enough Luaus in our lifetime. Expensive. Bad buffet food - entertainment decent but predictable. I would prefer peace and quiet from my lanai.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I wouldn’t be surprised if MVC sales is involved in driving this. Don’t you think that from day one we would see “sit for a 90 minute presentation and get free luau tickets!”….?

Yes. UGH!

I will send an email to the board.

Does someone have a link to the Facebook Group where there is strong resistance? Perhaps we should also be sending that sentiment to the HOA board in case they don't see it.

 

[sjlola]

Yes. UGH!

I will send an email to the board.

Does someone have a link to the Facebook Group where there is strong resistance? Perhaps we should also be sending that sentiment to the HOA board in case they don't see it.

There are two Facebook groups where this has been discussed. Overwhelmingly, the response from current owners is NO. https://www.facebook.com/groups/207...cently_seen&multi_permalinks=3688183404731188 (Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas Owners and Resellers), https://www.facebook.com/groups/258804218173910 (Vistana Owners Forum).

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

I've heard that these have started. Anyone been there since they did? I also heard there's no longer a prospective new vendor for the restaurant.

 

[sdtugger]

I walked past the luau last week. It looked like they had young and athletic performers, good musicians, and a happy vibe. One observation was that it was very much out in the open. It was literally a few feet off the walking path. I think if One wanted to watch the show and not eat the food, you could just walk past and probably even stand not too far away. You can also see the luau from the rooms in the oceanfront category.

We were headed to Dukes and had a wonderful meal. The luau was there in some fashion before and after our meal.

 

[Denise L]

I could hear the luau last week when I was walking back from a Trilogy Sunset Sail from the Sheraton back to WKORV-South. My hubby and I walked to North to see what it was all about. We could see everything set up and a good crowd of people at tables on the lawn. Performers were performing. Then it started to POUR, so everyone was covering themselves with towels and looking for cover.

This week, the luau was cancelled (someone said it was 50% booked, and the weather was unsettled/really windy), so it was quiet and Pailolo was open.

 

[daviator]

I could hear the luau last week when I was walking back from a Trilogy Sunset Sail from the Sheraton back to WKORV-South. My hubby and I walked to North to see what it was all about. We could see everything set up and a good crowd of people at tables on the lawn. Performers were performing. Then it started to POUR, so everyone was covering themselves with towels and looking for shade.

This week, the luau was cancelled (someone said it was 50% booked, and the weather was unsettled/really windy), so it was quiet and Pailolo was open.

We might give it a try. I’m pretty sure that in all my years visiting and even several years living in Hawaii, I have never been to a commercial (tourist) luau, so it might be fun to do it once. I’m glad it’s at North and not South, lol. We rarely stay at North.

 

[Denise L]

When we checked in, the concierge told us that the luau is only on Wednesdays, and that Pailolo would be closed on Wednesday evenings (probably starting at 5) for the luau.