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WONG YUEN: Yes, that's correct—
<br /> MASON:
<br /> orrectMASON: Yes, both sides.
<br /> YATES: And then the State will turn around and take our money because they don't have enough.
<br /> So then how does that help us as a county?
<br /> MASON: Well, for, out of my experience in this,what actually on County is, is the business is
<br /> local. If you really want to talk about the GDP of Hawaii, actually No. 1 GDP of Hawaii is
<br /> military, not—and I've been saying for years—not tourism. But tourism in Hawaii—because I
<br /> actually brought in 2014, 3,028 tourists myself out of the Japan, with two other guys that work with
<br /> me. And the part of the opportunity of the cultural basis in respect for the land and money is that I
<br /> actually offered about five million dollars just for that site. And the thing that that comes for the
<br /> investments and stuff is that we're, I, I am a local domestic company in Hawaii, local boy,
<br /> Hawaiian. I'm not an international business. So that's the thing; if the money, the property, County
<br /> gets their part, the lease, the State gets their part, no matter if it's the department[inaudible].
<br /> WONG YUEN: Commissioner Yates
<br /> CARR SMITH: Mr. Wong Yuen, did you have anything to add?
<br /> WONG YUEN: Yeah, thank you, Chair. What I'd like to add, so, for Commissioner Yate's
<br /> understanding, is that, you know, No. 1, this is private development, so there is no County funds
<br /> being expended to build this project, or to build any project, it would not be, that's, that's what we
<br /> are asking, it will be private development. The State has ownership, or stewardship, over these lands
<br /> at the airport, and we would be leasing these for the benefit of the people actually, because the
<br /> money does come back to the State CAFR, the State treasury. So there is no money being expended
<br /> by us. And by way of relationship, you know, Melvin and I have been friends, but, you know, he is
<br /> a distinct company, I am a government employee. He is one of many that would be likely, likely
<br /> submit to an RFP; it will be out there for all entities to bid on, including the Kohala Coast resorts, all
<br /> of them. Anybody would be able to do this, so it's not limited to him. So I just want to make that
<br /> distinction and clear. If there are any other questions about that—and I'm sorry, Commissioner
<br /> Van Pernis, if we've not, you know, understood, and forgive me for that, we'll try to answer your
<br /> question as best as we can.
<br /> CARR SMITH: Mr. Vitousek.
<br /> VITOUSEK: Yeah, thank you. I feel like we are getting way ahead of ourselves on this, and, we
<br /> were, as if we were reviewing the construction of a hotel, which we are not. This, this area is within
<br /> the Special Management Area. It's also State land. So in the event that a hotel is going to be
<br /> applying to be built at this area, it would require a Special Management Area Permit that the
<br /> Commission will have to review in order to take into account the effects of the project. It will also
<br /> trigger Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 343, which will require the preparation of an
<br /> environmental assessment that will take into account the effects of the proposed hotel. All of this
<br /> will have to be reviewed in the event that a hotel is built at this airport. I think right now we are
<br /> looking at a zoning change that brings the current uses of the airport in line with the permitted use of
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<br /> EXHIBIT B
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