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Holland Partner Group to Build New Campus in West Camas

CAMAS, WA — Holland Partner Group will be building its new headquarters on a 35-acre lot adjacent to Fisher Investment’s campus, said Camas City Administrator, Pete Capell.

The Vancouver property manager and multifamily developer plans to build three four-story office buildings (each 100,000 square feet), a high-end apartment complex, and a 20,000 square-foot upscale market, complemented by some restaurants.

The city refers to the project as the “Grass Valley Development” and will be built on vacant land south of NW 38th Avenue, which is close to the Vancouver border.

Capell said they expect this new development to bring 1,500 jobs to Camas, and that the first building could be occupied in late 2019.

“I think to have another large employer coming to Camas is great,” said Capell. “We’ve been working on this for a long time. We continue to build jobs in our community, and that’s important and exciting. Camas has the best ratio of jobs to citizens compared to other cities in Clark County. We bend over backwards to bring employers here. Holland came to us and wanted to fast track things. That was how this was solidified.”

Proposed specifications and images will be published when they become available.

To learn more about Holland Partner Group, visit www.hollandpartnergroup.com

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Camas Strategic Plan: Resources, Finances, Infrastructure, Growth

The City of Camas has developed a three-year comprehensive strategic plan that covers four overarching priorities, nine key objectives, and 20 initiatives to help with city governance, citizen communications, and forecasting.

Over two years, City of Camas Administrator Peter Capell and his team met with city employees, external consultants, and conducted resident surveys to see where priorities should be to help Camas navigate the next several years.

The 2018-2020 Strategic priorities are:

  • Meet community needs with optimal use of resources
  • Build financial stability for the city of Camas
  • Ensure core infrastructure meets community needs
  • Proactively manage growth in line with vision and decision principles

Attached to each overarching strategic priority are several key objectives and initiatives.

“The effort was to get our house in order, and be in a good financial position,” said Capell, who has been with the city of Camas for nearly four years. “We’re dealing with a structural deficit as we manage the limitations of 1% annual increases in property taxes, but have to cope with other costs that are rising at higher rates, such as health care. Essentially, we have to do more with less. So we asked ourselves: are there tools we can used to work within our means? How many more firefighters, paramedics, and police officers will we need?”

The plan is very comprehensive, and for the purposes of this article, Capell addressed three major issues: Financial stability, aging sewer infrastructure, and Lacamas Lake North Shore protection.

Financial Stability

The city wants a balanced budget and seeks to improve its existing AA bond rating to a AAA rating.

“Having a AA rating isn’t bad, and we don’t really borrow very much,” said Capell. “But, if we can earn a AAA bond rating, we can get a lower interest rate on future projects.”

To meet this priority, the city plans to update all financial policies to meet Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) practices, have an open and transparent program-based budget, update utility rates and impact fees, re-examine the city’s revenue strategy (overall size and diversification), and develop a long-term financial plan.

Aging Sewer Infrastructure

The aging sewer system is a big problem the city is trying to overcome. The city has a high number of STEP system alarms going off seven days a week with a high level of claims, said Capell.

“All we’re doing is responding,” said Capell. “We really want to spend more time on preventative maintenance.”

The city also deals with major pipe bursts, such as the recent break on Brady Road. With so many pipes built in the 1980s, they are doing a thorough water and sewer level of service analysis.

Protecting Lacamas Lake North Shore

Lacamas Lake North Shore.

By law, the City of Camas has to follow the regulations mandated by the Growth Management Act, which is a balancing act between allowing housing development and keeping local green spaces.

“We are trying to prevent sprawl to the best extent possible,” said Capell. “We have an extensive public viewing process, and encourage citizens to participate.”

One highly sensitive area is the Lacamas Lake North Shore. Most citizens want the forested backdrop to remain despite the housing developments already starting in the area. As a result, the city has been granted funds from Conservation Futures, which is a bonded county-wide program that acquires critical property to keep lands beautiful. Camas has received $2.5 million from Conservation Futures, and is using $1.5 million to purchase forested areas along the Lacamas Lake North Shore.

“We want to monitor green space acreage in Camas,” said Capell. “And keep it beautiful.”

The city is also enhancing tools and processes to improve communications with departments, across departments, and with the City Council.

“Although a lot of these things in this strategic plan aren’t tangible now, they will build a better foundation for the city,” said Capell.

We plan to discuss other parts of the plan in future articles.

To learn more, visit www.cityofcamas.us

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Camas Boys Swim Team Wins First Meet of the Season

LONGVIEW, WA — The Camas High Boys Swim team (the 2017 4A State swimming champions) handily defeated RA Long and Mark Morris in their first meet of the season. The fast-moving meet got off to a good start with a win by the Camas 200 Medley Relay team, which included Finn McClone, Jaden Kim, Austin Fogel, and Mark Kim.

Meet Results:

  • Washougal’s Isaiah Ross won the 200 Free, and was followed by Papermaker Freshmen Jack Harris, and Dave Peddie.
  • State Champion and Camas co-captain, Mark Kim, won the 200 IM, and was followed by Papermaker’s Finn McClone and Junha Lee.
  • Jaden Kim won the 50 Free event, and Luke Bales placed second.
  • Jaden Kim also won the 100 Fly, and Fogel placed second.
  • Mark Kim won the 100 Free event, and Zachary Macia placed second.
  • Ross won the 500 Free event, while Peddie placed second.
  • Mark Morris won the 200 Free Relay.
  • McClone won the 100 Back event, and Macia placed second. Fogel won the 100 Breast, while Aaron Lee placed second.
  • And, in the 400 Free Relay, the team of Jaden Kim, Fogel, McClone, and Mark Kim won.

“This was a small dual meet so we just pushed through,” said Mark Kim. “We’re definitely working our hardest at every practice and improving our time, but we are focusing on the bigger meets.”

What’s next?

The boys head to Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA this Saturday for a tougher, more competitive meet.

“It’ll be a 15-hour day,” said McClone. “We leave Camas at 5:30 am this Saturday. It’ll be good to see the competition from that part of the state.”

To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

Swim Image Gallery

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Images: Volunteering for Portland Choir & Orchestra

Portland, OR — They only perform a few times a year, but two local Clark County-based volunteer Portland Choir and Orchestra members say they’re grateful to be part of such a prestigious organization.

The group recently performed an eloquent Christmas Concert at the Newmark Theater, in downtown Portland, which helped usher in the holiday season.

Curtis Bedont, a Camas resident, and Marc Davis, a Washougal resident, both have respective orthodontic and chiropractic practices in Clark County. Both shared their thoughts with us about singing for the Portland Choir and Orchestra.

“This is my third year singing with the Portland Choir and Orchestra,” said Bedont. “The PCO is a combination of professional and amateur musicians and I am definitely on the amateur side. Before I started singing with them I would have never imagined that I would be part of such an amazing organization. Every concert I am blown away by the professionalism of the leadership of the choir who organize everything together into a Class Act performance. This Christmas concert was no exception. With the combination of our choir and orchestra as well at guests Edmund Stone and the Bells of the Cascade, this year’s performance was so fun to be a part of, and everyone that I spoke to that attended loved it! The mission or tag line of the Portland Choir and Orchestra is ‘Inspiring the Northwest’. This is achieved by providing quality musical performances at an affordable ticket price. We have choir practice Thursday evenings and I look forward each week to going because it is so fun and inspiring to sing with this group.”
Orchestra

Inside the Newmark Theater.

“I sang with the choir for a year and a half and then my schedule was just too busy so I took a year off,” said Davis.  “I missed that inspiration that singing in a top notch Choir brings. Needless to say, I rejoined the Portland Choir and Orchestra this past season. The practices each Thursday are a highlight of my week. They are like therapy to me — with the beautiful harmonies and the music we sing. Our Christmas Concert this past Saturday achieved its goal of getting my family and many others into the Christmas Spirit. Loved it. Dr. David Thomas is an amazing, accomplished Artistic Director and leads us each week. Dr. Ed Higgins masterfully directs the Orchestra. The Bells of the Cascades is led by young 23 year-old prodigy Matthew Compton. We in the choir loved having him direct one of our songs.”

Image Gallery

Photos by Jon Pugmire.

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To learn more, visit www.musicinportland.org

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Camas Wrestling Team Wins Tyrone S. Woods Memorial Tournament

Oregon City, OR — Four individual weight class wins propelled the Camas High School Wrestling team to victory at the Tyrone S. Woods Memorial Tournament Saturday — but that wasn’t the whole story.

Sam Malychweski, Gideon Malychewski, Jack Latimer, and Tanner Craig each beat their opponents to win finals with 250 points overall.

Sam was a dominate force, beating every opponent handily. He’s bigger and stronger this year and won his final match by 15 points.

“My personal goal for the season is to win the 195 4A State title,” said Sam. “I felt that we as a team had a good turnout. And, I thought it was awesome that Jack Latimer, Tanner Craig, Gideon and I won our finals matches.”

Craig pinned his way throughout the tournament, and Latimer went up a weight class at 132. Craig’s opponent was Benjamin Ziegler in the 138 pound weight class.

“I feel like it as a good victory,” said Craig, a junior. “But I also know that there is more work to be put in so that I can still win with tougher opponents at tougher tournaments.”

Latimer wrestled outstanding, as well, beating 2-time State champion, Gavin Jolley.

“Jack dominated the match all around,” said Camas Head Coach, Cory Vom Baur.

“I’m really excited about my win,” said Latimer. “I’ve been working really hard for something like this to happen. This was all part of my plan, and I’m really excited to compete next weekend, as well.”

Gideon entered the tournament unseeded, and he had a close match in semi-finals against the No. 1 seed. He competed in the 170 weight class against Vinnie Chestnut from Lake Oswego with a final score of 8-1 in three rounds.

“I felt really good about it because it was the first tournament of the season,” said Gideon. “And knowing that last year I was in the finals just one time I really wanted to come to this tournament and dominate it.”

He did.

Wrestling

Gideon Malychewski won first place in the 170 weight class.

“Gideon is so good at wrestling, he has so much talent,” said Vom Baur. “He has something inside him that can’t be coached. With 30 seconds left Gideon powered his way through tiredness.”

Gideon feels good about the season.

“I was watching our JV wrestlers wrestle in the tourney that we just competed in and I was very impressed with them in the way they wrestled,” Gideon said.

“I didn’t expect us to win the tournament,” said Vom Baur. “We had a good lineup, and we were prepared, but we didn’t have all of our guys there. We told the team that your job is to battle that person in front of you. And they did. Overall, they wrestled well. We haven’t focused as much on conditioning and being mentally tough, but the guys were mentally tough Saturday.”

Vom Baur said it was a team effort to clinch first place. He said that Karter Liefsen placed third, and that Freshman Caleb Ashworth’s efforts stunned people. Ashworth was the rest of the story.

“Caleb pinned three kids!” said Vom Baur. “And he went to semi-finals. He’s a Freshman. Without him we wouldn’t have won.”

The boys compete next at Westview High School this Friday.

To learn more, visit www.camaswrestling.com

Wrestling

Sam Malychewski won his weight class at Saturday’s tournament.

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Camas Basketball: Boys Win Season Opener Against Prairie

Camas, WA — Fans cheered on the Camas Boys Varsity basketball team during their first game of the season Thursday night to a victory over Prairie, 69-61.

Papermaker Senior Isaiah Sampson had 16 points and 12 rebounds, overcoming the 28 points Prairie’s Kam Osborne scored at the intense game. Junior Carson Bonine scored three first half 3s to put the Papermakers up by eight points at halftime. Prairie did their best to cut the Camas lead, but the Papermakers opened the gap even further during the fourth quarter.

“We played very well as a team and I loved our energy both on and off the court,” said Tre Carlisle, the Camas team captain.

The boys play at Wilson, Oregon tonight at 7. Their next home game is December 6 vs. Black Hills at 7 pm.

Camas JV also won their game against Prairie, 57-42.

Basketball Game Stats

PRAIRIE:  Nate Milspaugh 3, Kaleb Locke 3, AJ Dixson 2, Logan Reed 3,Dante Heitschmidt 8, Kam Osborn 28, Braiden Broadbent 13, Zeke Dixson 1. Totals 15 (6) 10-13 61.

CAMAS:  Isaiah Sampson 16, Carson Bonine 10, Ben Cooke 3, Gabe Mukobi 9,  Connor Shira 3,  Kyle Allen 5, Shane Jamison 4,Fox Bessinger 3, Zachary Chillian 4, Trey Carlisle 12. Totals 16 (8) 13-18 69.

Prairie 13 16 19 16–61

Camas 17 20 10 29–69

To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

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Local Interior Design Company Wins International Award for Mega Yacht

Camas, WA – Varo Interior Design just announced that the Motor Yacht Chasseur has won best power yacht in the 40m to 65m category by the International Superyacht Society.

The M/Y Chasseur was built by local Vancouver, WA based Christensen Shipyards and designed by Tonya Lance of Varo Interior Design, a Camas company. Chasseur was also the recipient of a ‘Special Achievement’ award at the at the Showboats Design Awards earlier this year.

“When we started the process, I met with the owner to see his vision, and learned he loves the modern design,” said Lance. “I got his reaction to every sample, which included fabrics, carpets, wood, and stone. I brought as many materials as I could for him to view, and then started to build pallets for each room. We selected every piece of wood and stone, and every door is custom.”

Lance said most communications with the owner were by email, but that major presentations were made at Christensen Shipyards, which is located right on the Columbia River. The project took 36 months to complete.

The yacht’s interior really is the pinnacle of refined luxury. Each detail was mindfully designed to pleasure the most selective connoisseur. Milk glazed figured Sycamore walls filled with an abundance of impressive windows graciously surround Chasseur’s light, modern, elegant interior. Her classic teak interior flooring is beautifully accented with holly inlays and adorned with plush silk area rugs. Each piece of furniture is customized to offer the highest level of comfort and performance.

Her handcrafted Santos Rosewood casegoods are embellished with elements of polished stainless steel and shagreen. Chassuer’s main stairwell is a sculptural work of art showcasing glass and woven leather walls with floating glass treads. Her six luxurious staterooms with en suite bathrooms comfortably accommodate 12 guests. Each stateroom is equipped with autonomous control of an extensive movie and music library, U.S., Caribbean and European satellite television, iPad interface, and the fastest internet speeds available. Every guest bathroom aboard the vessel is clad in exotic onyx stones sourced from the finest quarries around the world. The interior and exterior bar surfaces are composed of backlit crystal agate and mirrored glass. The outdoor living areas provide abundant opportunities for dining, entertaining and basking in the sun. The Sun Deck arrangement features a full height bar, large Jacuzzi tub and lavish lounge areas. The bridge deck will offer two alfresco dining arrangements as well as a chic open air lounge area. The main aft deck provides a lavish seating arrangement and a full height service bar area. All exterior decks will be fully equipped with ample room designated for a helipad and toys.

“The yacht has a natural progression from the outside to the inside,” said Lance. “There’s no tinting on the windows, which keeps it in harmony with nature.”

The yacht is owned by a U.S. resident, but will be docked in the Mediterranean, and is currently en route to France.

M/Y Chasseur is 160 feet long, has a range of 4,000+ nautical miles, and has a maximum speed of 16 knots.  It is powered by two CAT 3512C series engines with a C-rating 1650 HP at 1800 RPM maximum continuous rating.

Yact

Chasseur Sky Lounge.

About Varo Interior Design

Varo Interior Design was started in 2007 in Vancouver, WA by Lance. Varo Interior Design’s mission is to gracefully design, plan and manage optimal environments through inspired collaboration and interactive process. Varo Interior Design takes a client-driven approach to every project.

“We are guided by integrity to create designs that will last and be loved,” said Lance. “We accomplish this by carefully detailing interiors in ways that encourage the highest levels of flexibility, durability, performance and appreciation. Our designs capture the spirit and vitality of the surrounding context, focusing on the integration of the project goals with the heritage of the built and natural environment.”

She said from client to client the context may vary, but they always produce designs inspired by the surroundings and reflect the uniqueness of each individual situation. Their inherent nature is to be creative and artistic problem solvers, and believe that only through a collaborative process can excellent design be achieved. To that end they are open and inclusive, welcoming inspiration from all. They also like to challenge the status quo.

About Tonya Lance

With over 17 years of professional experience, Lance is eager to help clients achieve optimal comfort and visual harmony. Tonya is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of clientele. She is noted for achieving high echelons of design within any budget. Tonya continually strives to develop strong working relationships to foster open communication and overall clarity. She is continually developing and in search of innovative design solutions. Her formal education includes a Bachelors of Art in Interior Architecture for Marylhurst University as well as a Certificate in Architectural Project Management from Portland State University.

To learn more, visit www.varodesigns.com

Yacht

John, Oliver, and Tonya Lance, of Camas. Photo by Jennifer Barnes.

About Christensen Shipyards

Christensen Shipyards was founded in 1983 in Vancouver, Washington by Dave Christensen, and builds state of the art yachts of 120’ and more for discerning clients who recognize Christensen’s global reputation. Christensen Shipyards has been a staple in the yachting community and the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years. The shipyard encompasses over 300,000 sq. ft. of climate controlled manufacturing space and employs over 100 craftspeople. State of the Art facilities and modern manufacturing techniques enable Christensen to adhere to high manufacturing standards and build yachts of unsurpassed quality and beauty.

To learn more, visit www.christensenyachts.com

Yacht Image Gallery

All photos by Jeff Brown.

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Camas Boys Swim Team Rebuilds on Experience, Strength

It’s one week into the new school swim season, and the reigning 4A state champion Camas boys swim team is working hard to find a way back to the state awards podium.

“We’re trying to find 2-4 kids to fill the void of two seniors we lost last year,” said Head Coach, Mike Bemis, who himself was honored as Coach of the Year. “We’re trying to fill Jeff’s (Fadlovich) spot and Tom’s (Utas) spot and I’m not sure how many juniors, sophomores, and freshmen we have to do that. Right now, we have the six returning from State, and now we need some others to step up.”

He added it’s very early in the season, with the first regular season meet several weeks away. The boys swim team has had a string of District Championships, and since 2012 they’ve been getting closer each year to clinching the State title, which they finally did in February 2017. They had the right mix of winning individual and relay performances to propel them over the top.

Team Co-captain Mark Kim, who is the reigning 4A State champion in the 200 Free and 500 Free events, looks forward to the journey this season. Senior Finn McClone is the other team captain. He was preparing for the Salem Open meet during interview time.

“The team’s accomplishments last year were really big,” said Kim. “It’s a really big legacy we have to live up to this year, and this being my senior year, it makes me want that State title even more. We have some talented underclassmen that will help us get there.”

This year’s squad is 30 athletes strong, with six seniors, 10 juniors, six sophomores, and eight freshmen. The team is comprised of swimmers from local swim clubs — Columbia River Swim Team (CRST), Lacamas Athletic Club, and Portland Athletic Club (PAC), as well as athletes from Washougal.

“We swim about four miles each day,” said freshman, Dave Peddie, with a big smile. “Morning, night, lunch time.”

To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

Swim

State Champion swimmer, Mark Kim, help lead the Camas Boys Swim team win the State title earlier this year.

Swim Team Image Gallery

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CHS Girls Soccer Team Heads to WIAA Final 4 Tournament

The Camas High School Girls Varsity soccer team qualified for the WIAA Final Four Tournament for the third consecutive year by defeating Skyline of Sammamish by a score of 4-1 last weekend. They will next compete against Issaquah at Puyallup’s Sparks Stadium in the semi-final on Friday in their drive to defend their state title. This is the third time this team has been down this road.

The girls made it to the state semifinals by averaging 4.2 goals per game, led offensively by junior Maddie Kemp (who’s scored 40 goals this season). Defensively, Perrin Belzer is the team’s defensive anchor, which has been an essential ingredient to the team’s success this season, and throughout Belzer’s high school soccer career.

Camas has only allowed nine goals this entire season. In 2015, Issaquah beat Camas in a shootout following two overtimes. The match was scoreless until the shootout.

This weekend’s state games will be broadcast on www.nfhsnetwork.com

The games begin at 8 pm Friday.

Last Saturday’s Soccer Match

Here are some of the statistics from last weekend’s Skyline match at Doc Harris:

Goals (assists):

Carla Jooste (Jazzi Paulson)

Maddie Kemp (Paulson)

Kemp (Liz Parker)

Kemp

Saves in Goal: Falissitie DePasquale 6

Soccer Image Gallery

Photos by Kris Cavin

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ilani Captures 24 Awards in 7 Months; Casino Nabs Top Honors

RIDGEFIELD, Wash. – ilani, a premier gaming and entertainment destination in Southwest Washington, has garnered two dozen awards since opening this past April. Developed by Salishan-Mohegan LLC in collaboration with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, ilani has attracted gaming aficionados from all along the I-5 corridor and is poised to continue its streak of good luck. With a new event center slated to open in 2018, the destination will enhance its offerings with a state-of-the-art facility for hosting meetings, conventions and some of the best entertainment in the Pacific Northwest.

“Open for less than seven months, ilani has clearly made an indelible impression on the local community and our guests,” said Kara Fox-LaRose, president and general manager of ilani. “We are honored to be counted among the best casinos in the region, and we are excited about our evolving offerings.”

ilani’s premier 100,000-square-foot gaming floor has something for everyone. More than 2,500 slot machines and 75 table games include favorites like blackjack, roulette, midi baccarat, craps and pai gow poker. ilani dealers and staff are ready and willing to offer advice and guidance for new players, and the excitement of slots doesn’t end after a trip to ilani: online casino games are available via ilani’s Play4Fun Casino site.

Strictly Slots Magazine Awards and Feature

As the winner of 13 awards in the Native Northwest category from Strictly Slots Magazine, ilani will be featured in the edition published today. The reader’s choice awards are the result of national voting from April to July, with ballots cast by mail or online. ilani received eight first-place wins, including:

  • Best Overall Casino
  • Best Reel Slots
  • Best Nickel Slots
  • Best Dollar Slots
  • Casino Where You Feel Luckiest
  • Best Slot Club, Momentum
  • Best Players Club Lounge
  • Friendliest Casino

Second-place wins for ilani included Best Video Slots, Best 50-cent Slots and Best $5+ Slots. ilani came in third for Best Video Poker and Best Comps. Additionally, the editorial staff of Strictly Slots Magazine named ilani their favorite casino in the region, granting the Editor’s Choice Award for the Northwest.

Casino

“We built this city, we built this city on rock and roll…” Starship featuring Mickey Thomas comes to Muze for a free show on Saturday, November 25.

Casino Player Best of Gaming Edition Awards

Ilani recently took home 10 awards from Casino Player Magazine’s Best of Gaming edition published in September. The casino nabbed numerous 2017 Native Northwest Honors, including four first-place wins:

  • Best Casino
  • Best Players Club, Momentum
  • Best Comps
  • Best Video Poker

Second-place finishes with Casino Player Magazine included Best Hosts, Best Reel Slots and Casino Where You Feel The Luckiest. ilani ended up third in the categories of Best Promotions, Best Dealers and Best Roulette.

Finally, Casino Player Magazine’s awards come on the heels of another big win in July’s Best Bets edition. ilani was named among Best Bets: Casino Player’s Expert Picks.

About ilani 
Located on a 156-acre site in Clark County, Washington, ilani, developed by the Cowlitz Tribe and Salishan-Mohegan, a partnership that includes Mohegan Sun, one of the world’s foremost gaming and entertainment developers and operators, is the West Coast’s premier gaming, dining, entertainment and meeting destination. With 368,000 total square feet, ilani includes 100,000-square-feet of gaming space with 2,500 slots and 75 gaming tables; 15 restaurants, bars and retail outlets; and a 2,500-seat meeting and entertainment venue hosting nationally recognized performances. For more information, visit ilaniresort.com and follow ilani on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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