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Old 05-05-2014, 12:33 AM
 
Location: Haiku
7,132 posts, read 4,729,282 times
Reputation: 10327

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Just twenty years ago Maui was still heavily vested in cane and pineapple, stretching from eastern Haiku all the way past Lahaina. At this point pineapple has all but disappeared and cane is grown only in the central valley.

Many people say good riddance - pineapple uses lots of herbicides and pesticides, and cane harvesting typically involves burning which people object to due to the ash. But it is these industries which has given Maui a lot of its charm - green cane fields as far as the eye can see, swaying in the trade winds. It is because Maui is rural that it has the laid-back aloha spirit.

It is clear that Maui can no longer compete as an agricultural economy. Alexander & Baldwin, Maui Land & Pineapple and HC&S are all shifting their businesses away from agriculture to real estate. So what will Maui look like with this shift? Here are some thoughts:

- Flying into Kahului now the first thing you see is the Central Valley awash in green from north to south, from the West Mauis to Haleakala. You can expect that to go away when cane shuts down. Just as the hills behind Lahaina were once verdant and are now desert, a similar fate will befall the valley.

- Kahului will expand its industrial footprint. The industrial park being built on the edge of Kahului will expand into what was cane fields.

- Developers will go on a land grab to turn ag land into houses and condos. But with no real industry here, who will move into those houses? Retirees. What do retirees need? Services, especially medical. Maui is already heavily service oriented, but it will no doubt notch upward to cater more to older folks, since those are the only ones who can move here without a job.

- The nail in the coffin is that Maui will succumb to building freeways. When the aloha goes, people revert to their base selves which is hurry, hurry, hurry. Why? Who knows, but they need freeways to do it.

Anyway, I see an erosion of Maui's aloha, rural charm. It is sad, or will be sad. I am curious what others think.
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Old 05-05-2014, 12:55 AM
 
Location: mainland but born oahu
6,657 posts, read 7,699,748 times
Reputation: 3136
@TwoByFour

I predict that in 20 to 30 years Maui wont look any different then Oahu, Why? Because it will never be enough, its impossible for alot of people to be content and greatful for what they have.
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Old 05-05-2014, 12:40 PM
 
Location: Kahala
12,120 posts, read 17,738,627 times
Reputation: 6175
When land is expensive - and the cost of doing business is high - agriculture cannot sustain itself and moves to places like the Philippines. (By the way, the first I usually notice is those ugly windmills flying into Kahului as you make the turn over land).

Maui will continue to be a hybrid between the Big Island and Oahu given its tourist industry. It is far to expensive to do business in Maui for businesses to grow - lacks Universities - infrastructure - or willingness by companies to relocate to Maui - therefore, except for population growth, changes will mostly be due to tourism.

Maui changing isn't any different than Kauai or the Big Island. It may evolve due to population growth but that is about it.
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Old 05-05-2014, 03:41 PM
 
Location: Maui, Hawaii
749 posts, read 845,549 times
Reputation: 1567
Quote:
Originally Posted by whtviper1 View Post
When land is expensive - and the cost of doing business is high - agriculture cannot sustain itself and moves to places like the Philippines. (By the way, the first I usually notice is those ugly windmills flying into Kahului as you make the turn over land).

Maui will continue to be a hybrid between the Big Island and Oahu given its tourist industry. It is far to expensive to do business in Maui for businesses to grow - lacks Universities - infrastructure - or willingness by companies to relocate to Maui - therefore, except for population growth, changes will mostly be due to tourism.

Maui changing isn't any different than Kauai or the Big Island. It may evolve due to population growth but that is about it.

I agree. I would also like to add to the whole 'Maui is changing and paradise is being lost idea' -meh.
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Old 05-05-2014, 04:33 PM
 
Location: Volcano
12,969 posts, read 28,269,939 times
Reputation: 10755
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoByFour View Post
It is clear that Maui can no longer compete as an agricultural economy. Alexander & Baldwin, Maui Land & Pineapple and HC&S are all shifting their businesses away from agriculture to real estate.
Without getting into the whole GMO/No GMO debate, I do think it helps to keep in perspective that the seed business, taken in toto, is currently the largest single agricultural crop in Hawai'i, amounting to about $235 Million in revenues annually, and employing about 2,000 people. 95% of it is corn seeds, and a large portion of that is grown on Maui. That agricultural segment could become even a larger part of our state's economy if the county governments would permit it to expand. Sadly or not, depending on your perspective, it doesn't look like that will be possible due to concerns about GMOs and pesticide use.


My point being, it's an area where Maui CAN compete, but seems to be choosing not to. Industrialization? I doubt it. Not in any big way. What would be the point, when there's no infrastructure and no resources and the key market for manufactured goods is at least 2.500 miles away? So my guess is that Maui will become more touristy and more stratified into 2 layer society... leisure and service... with the well-to-do buying up condos and patronizing hotels and resorts and restaurants and shops, while the cleaners and cooks and bartenders and shop clerks and tour guides who make life wonderful for the wealthy get wedged into more marginal parts of the island.
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Old 05-05-2014, 05:46 PM
 
Location: mainland but born oahu
6,657 posts, read 7,699,748 times
Reputation: 3136
@OpenD

Your quote: So my guess is that Maui will become more touristy and more stratified into 2 layer society... leisure and service... with the well-to-do buying up condos and patronizing hotels and resorts and restaurants and shops, while the cleaners and cooks and bartenders and shop clerks and tour guides who make life wonderful for the wealthy get wedged into more marginal parts of the island. End quote:

Sometimes when i feel theres no hope for humanity, you hit a home run with what you say and bring back hope. OpenD is someone who we should respect because he lives in Hawai'i and not just on Hawai'i.

Further alot of times he thinks like real Kama'aina. The above quote of his is an example of knowing life in Hawai'i. Anyone can tell you what day to day life in U.S is like, thats a no brainer. But to really know how people think or really know the issues etc is what is valuable or should be.

Last edited by hawaiian by heart; 05-05-2014 at 05:57 PM..
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Old 05-07-2014, 10:10 PM
 
Location: Maui County, HI
4,131 posts, read 7,405,644 times
Reputation: 3391
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawaiian by heart View Post
@OpenD

Your quote: So my guess is that Maui will become more touristy and more stratified into 2 layer society... leisure and service... with the well-to-do buying up condos and patronizing hotels and resorts and restaurants and shops, while the cleaners and cooks and bartenders and shop clerks and tour guides who make life wonderful for the wealthy get wedged into more marginal parts of the island. End quote:

Sometimes when i feel theres no hope for humanity, you hit a home run with what you say and bring back hope. OpenD is someone who we should respect because he lives in Hawai'i and not just on Hawai'i.

Further alot of times he thinks like real Kama'aina. The above quote of his is an example of knowing life in Hawai'i. Anyone can tell you what day to day life in U.S is like, thats a no brainer. But to really know how people think or really know the issues etc is what is valuable or should be.
We can observe that happening very easily. Haven't I been posting about the wealthy making life harder for the middle class and poor for years now?
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Old 05-07-2014, 11:35 PM
 
Location: Maui, Hawaii
749 posts, read 845,549 times
Reputation: 1567
Where is Maui headed? Eeeekkk??!! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater
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Old 05-08-2014, 12:14 AM
 
Location: mainland but born oahu
6,657 posts, read 7,699,748 times
Reputation: 3136
Quote:
Originally Posted by winkosmosis View Post
We can observe that happening very easily. Haven't I been posting about the wealthy making life harder for the middle class and poor for years now?
Sorry wink didn't mean to leave you out. No stink intended.
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Old 05-08-2014, 12:20 AM
 
Location: mainland but born oahu
6,657 posts, read 7,699,748 times
Reputation: 3136
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdr22 View Post
Auwe! thats enough to make my skin cringe. If im right isn't mice and rats an invasive species to Hawai'i?
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