WAIKIKI HI—Blackstone has begun work on a new 418-unit vacation ownership tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.

An official groundbreaking ceremony marked the construction launch of The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Club, slated for completion in early 2017. A Blackstone-managed fund, Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI, is providing the capital for this new tower. It has appointed Hilton Grand Vacations, the vacation ownership division of Hilton Worldwide, to provide vacation ownership sales and marketing services, resort operations, timeshare homeowners' association management and loan servicing.

The 37-floor tower will be constructed adjacent to the Tapa Tower along Kalia Road and will offer views of the Pacific Ocean and immediate access to the sprawling 22-acre oceanfront Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort.

The traditional Hawaiian blessing and ceremony was hosted by Tyler Henritze, senior managing director at Blackstone; Mark Wang, Executive Vice President, Global Sales and President, Hilton Grand Vacations for Hilton Worldwide; Jerry Gibson, Area Vice President for Hilton Hawaii; Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, and other local dignitaries.

“We are thrilled to partner with Hilton Worldwide to bring a new timeshare offering to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort,” Henritze said. “Combined with the quality of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club product and the Hilton brand, this destination will provide a fantastic vacation experience. We're pleased that Blackstone's investment will help create hundreds of jobs for the community, in line with our continuing commitment to Hawaii's tourism economy.”

“It is our privilege to continue creating new ownership opportunities for our discerning clientele with a spectacular new Hilton Grand Vacations Club tower in Hilton Hawaiian Village,” said Wang. “This project combines the industry-leading sales, marketing and management expertise of Hilton Grand Vacations with the established development strength of Blackstone, and builds upon our history of strategic collaboration.” 

Hensel Phelps Construction Company has been appointed as the general contractor, Group 70 International, Inc. as the architect, and Indidesign retained for interior design.  Rider Levett Bucknall will provide project management services, while Hilton Worldwide will act as the development manager. 

The Grand Islander will become the fifth Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Island of Oahu and will bring the brand's total number of resorts in Hawaii to eight. Interval sales of The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Club are anticipated to begin in fall 2014 and nightly rental reservations may be requested in early 2016 for stays in 2017. 

The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Club will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and penthouses, each offering extensive amenities including full kitchens, spacious living and dining areas and private bedrooms.  

The development of The Grand Islander fulfills a key milestone in the Master Plan for Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, reinforcing Hilton Worldwide's dedication to maintaining Waikiki as one of the world's leading travel destinations.