President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated one of Laie’s newest additions, the Marriott Courtyard Oahu North Shore, on August 29, along with the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hukilau Marketplace, which is adjacent to the hotel.
Before offering a dedicatory prayer for the Hukilau Marketplace, President Uchtdorf said, “I want to tell you how grateful I am for each and every one of you and how much the First Presidency appreciates everything you do. In this vast mass of water, you’re a wonder of spiritual power, of joy, of friendship, of love for your neighbors, and you have a radiance of goodness about you that is truly a marvelous example of what the Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ can do to us,” reported the Deseret News in a story by local correspondent Mike Foley.
The event opened with a Hawaiian hula, performed by members of Halau Hula O Kekela, and a welcoming chant by Cy Bridges. Also as part of the program, Uncle Joseph Ah Quin sang, “Behold Laie” in a fitting tribute to the home of the new hotel that sits where there has long been hotels and inns serving Laie and the surrounding areas.
Referring to the Hukilau tradition in Laie, President Uchtdorf paralleled how the properties and facilities would also be “pulling in the fish” from all over the world, and would thus serve as a missionary tool for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“The hotel really feels like a part of the community,” said Clover Valentine, a resident of Hauula. “…The rooms are so beautiful and it’s a nice improvement. They did everything perfect.”
“The employees are all part of an ohana here, giving back to their community,” said Telesia Tonga, who was MC at the event. She and others shared the clear benefit of the hotel adding much-needed jobs in the area and providing a resource supporting the students at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, in particular the Hospitality and Tourism Management program.
Representing the Marriott family, Dick Marriott, former chairman of the board of directors for the Polynesian Cultural Center, presented a cash gift to the university’s scholarship fund.
Marriott shared how his father started a root beer stand, which later sold tamales, before developing the hotel company that now spans the globe.
“Ten percent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product comes from hospitality and tourism,” stated Marriott. By providing jobs and giving BYU–Hawaii students hands-on experience, the hotel is an improvement to the area, he said.
Mature and native landscaping for Courtyard Oahu North Shore and many Polynesian artifacts were brought in to give character to the site, said Dan Gifford, one of the principle developers of the hotel. Outside, the hotel features a cascading waterfall pool easily accessible and viewable from the hotel’s spacious lobby.
“We saw the vision, but we had to make the numbers work,” said Gifford. He made reference to the challenges that had to be overcome in order for the hotel to be successful in Laie. He and his team worked with other community members to make sure that aspects of the hotel were in accordance with features of the community. “We didn’t order any of these [artifacts] off of Amazon,” he said.
The ceremony was attended by hundreds of community members, public officials, and LDS Church leaders. Accompanying President Uchtdorf and his wife, Harriet, were First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric Gérald Caussé and his wife, Valérie; Elder Kim B. Clark of the Seventy, who also serves as Commissioner of the Church Educational System, and his wife, Sue; and BYU–Hawaii President John S. Tanner and his wife, Susan.
In President Uchtdorf’s closing remarks and dedicatory prayer, he left his blessing that the hotel would help create cherished memories that will last a lifetime among families that come to visit. He concluded that it would also be a safe haven for the weary traveler.
Besides dedicating the hotel and Hukilau Marketplace, President and Sister Uchtdorf toured the newest buildings on the campus of Brigham Young University–Hawaii, visited the Laie Hawaii Temple, and attended the PCC’s acclaimed evening show, HA: Breath of Life.
