The Senate Tuesday approved and sent to the House a bill that would give the state authority to purchase a resort-hotel property on the north shore of Oahu.
The bill would authorize Hawaii to acquire the Turtle Bay Hotel and the lands around it, with the goal of forestalling development planned for much of the property.
There is already a luxury hotel on the sight, but property owners also have vested entitlements to build thousands of condominiums. Many local residents say the plan would destroy the remaining “country” atmosphere of the North Shore.
The bill, in its current form, authorizes selling general obligation bonds to purchase the property but does not specify an amount.
