Governor Lingle releases $3 million for Kapi‘olani Community College's culinary arts program

Kapiʻolani Community College
Contact:
Jan Yokota, (808) 956-7935
Director of Capital Improvements
John Morton, (808) 956-7038
Interim Vice President for Community Colleges
Posted: May 24, 2006

HONOLULU - Governor Linda Lingle has released $3 million for planning, land settlement, and design costs for the development of the Cannon Club site for Kapiʻolani Community College's (KCC) Culinary Arts program.

The Cannon Club site, the former Fort Ruger Officers' Club, was transferred to the state by the federal government. The Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a direct lease of the site to the University of Hawaiʻi in September 2001, which was executed in August 2004.

"This lease enables the university to develop new instructional and restaurant facilities for KCC's Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head," said Governor Lingle. "The Culinary Institute will expand opportunities for current students, past graduates and industry professionals seeking advance degrees in the culinary arts and managerial positions."

"Our goal is to make Hawaiʻi a premier food destination where chefs can learn the techniques of Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine, while residents and visitors can enjoy the fruits of their labor," said John Morton, UH interim vice president for community colleges. "We are grateful to the Governor and the Legislature for this design money. We are working with private sources to raise the construction funds for this exciting project."

The total project cost is $20,156,000. The architect is expected to be selected within the next month and the project design is expected to be completed by summer of 2007.