Newport-Mesa on the mind

STEVE SMITH

The worst day on Maui is still better than the best day in

Newport-Mesa.

That’s not true, of course, but it’s an easy statement to make

when you are sitting on a Maui lanai with nothing in front of you but

a very blue ocean and the islands of Lanai and Molokai while drinking

100% Kona coffee.

This is my sixth trip to Hawaii in 32 years, my third with Cay and

our second trip here with kids. Six years ago, we were on the island

of Kauai.

Maui was not our first choice of either vacation spots or Hawaiian

Islands. Having been to four of the seven, we preferred Kauai most of

all. Kauai was lush, uncrowded, and we stayed at perhaps the best

vacation accommodations ever, in a condominium we rented near Poipu

Beach.

We chose Maui because of the deal. Seven months ago, Aloha

airlines promoted its new service to Hawaii from John Wayne Airport

through a series of full page ads in the Los Angeles Times. The first

ad, as I recall, ran on a Monday morning and announced fares so low

that I did not even bother to call.

I know how those airline promotions work: There are only four

seats available at that price and you have to fly at midnight. Plus,

you may be asked to work as a flight attendant if any of the crew

calls in sick.

So, I passed. The next day, the ad ran again. That time, Cay saw

the ad and brought it in to me, suggesting I call. Having done the

“airline deal dance” before, I decided to make it simple. If I could

not get either of my first two best days and times, I would move on.

Serves me right for being so cynical. I went onto the Aloha

website and got my first choice of days and times going and coming.

Seven months later, we took off from John Wayne and hopped right over

Honolulu, flying directly to Maui at a terrific fare.

Our kids are just out of school, and we needed a vacation, but I

also had a family matter to resolve -- one that could have been done

anywhere, but Hawaii seemed appropriate.

It has been 30 years since I’d been to Maui, and I was warned

about the growth and develop- ment in and around Kaanapali, where I

vacationed three summers in a row so long ago.

To my surprise, however, not a lot had changed. Yes, there were a

lot more structures along the beach, but the drive along

Honoapi’ilani Highway still offered far more unobstructed ocean views

than it did of the condos that are strung along the sand in small

chains.

The town of Lahaina did not look much different, nor did the

resort where I stayed in the ‘70s. Back then, however, it was the

Royal Lahaina Hotel, not yet having achieved resort status.

As far apart as they are in both distance and lifestyle, there are

unavoidable comparisons between Newport-Mesa and Maui. First, I could

not help but wonder how the island’s decision-makers have managed to

keep their growth to a point where it seems to be functioning well

economically, environmentally and socially while looking so

unspoiled.

In Newport-Mesa, we’re all but out of dirt, of large patches of

undeveloped land on which developers can build new revenue sources.

We’ve all grown up believing the mantra “grow or die,” and now that

we’re out of land, we don’t know what to do except go back and tear

down what we’ve already built to build something bigger but not

always better.

That’s not what they’re doing on Maui. The island doesn’t look a

whole lot different than it did 30 years ago, yet the economy is

good. And if anyone should be worried about running out of dirt or in

this case, lava, it should be the folks on any of the Hawaiian

Islands. After all, each one is a big rock. A big, beautiful rock,

but a rock nonetheless.

I realize this is not an apples- to-apples comparison. The

economies of the two regions are very different; still, there are

some lessons we can learn.

Maui’s economy depends on a steady stream of tourists who come and

go, leaving millions of dollars behind.

That, to me, should be more of the future of Newport Beach and

Costa Mesa. Yes, we get our share of tourists who visit the fabulous

beaches, superb shopping and what is quickly developing into a

world-class arts and entertainment center.

But we are not yet the destination of choice for enough tourists.

We are not yet the type of area where someone in Columbus, Ohio,

would say, “We’re going to Newport Beach for our vacation.” The fact

is: That family may stay in Newport Beach or Costa Mesa, but when

asked where they are going, they’ll tell their friends, “Disneyland.”

It won’t take much to achieve that status. We’ve got great weather

and plenty of things to do.

I’m just not sure how many of us are ready for the sight of

parasailors off the Newport Coast.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(714) 966-4664 or send story ideas to [email protected].