Hawaii-based real estate development company, Honokea Surf Villages & Resorts, is looking to develop a 60-acre ‘surf village’ and resort in California’s Coachella Valley.
Conceptual rendering of the Honokea Surf Village & Resort proposed for Coachella Valley. Image: Honokea
The development will include a surf facility, an adventure sports park, a large events space, an organic farm, dining and shopping areas, and a boutique hotel.
The company was founded in 2011 by local surfer and waterman Brian Keaulana, Keno Knieriem and his father Kenan Knieriem to create a unique real estate development company that uses man-made wave technologies to create surf resorts in Hawaii and the Mainland.
Honokea partnered with California-based land development management company The Rilington Group to oversee construction, which may create up to 400 local jobs. Once open, the project is expected to create 600 jobs and generate more than $1 billion for the local economy.
“We are honored to lead the planning and execution of this project,” said Mickie Riley, president of The Rilington Group. “With our local knowledge and expertise we are excited to bring Honokea’s vision to life in the Coachella Valley. As a locally operated firm not only do we work in the community but we live here and we play here. The Coachella Valley is an ideal location for the Surf Village and we share in Honokea’s focus on environmental sustainability and community building.”
The Honokea Surf Village will be a sustainable project, using drip irrigation and aquaponic farming, using approximately one-eighth the water currently consumed by each of the 124 golf courses in the valley.
The project has been in the works for two years, and will include educational initiatives involving local school partnerships, as well as collaborations with nonprofit organizations.
“We would be truly honored to bring Honokea to the Coachella Valley,” Keaulana said in a statement. “Southern California has a great surf culture that has always been tied very closely to Hawaii, and the desert is such a special place. We are excited to combine these cultures into something authentic and truly unique.”
Article originally published on Pacific Business News on March 21, 2017 by Katie Murar
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