Lines Drawn In Hawaii Battle: Golf Course Views Vs. Luxury Development

Princeville, a resort community on Kaua'i's North Shore, is embroiled in a dispute over a golf course that could impact luxury development. The peninsula, home to pricey hotels, vacation condominiums and multimillion-dollar homes, has been divided over how to manage the abandoned golf course.

Homeowners whose properties border the golf course advocate for preserving open space, while Starwood Capital Group, a $115 billion global investment firm, seeks to construct luxury homes on the land. Allegations have been made that Starwood has used its influence in neighborhood elections to install board members sympathetic to its interests and remove opposing views.

The conflict has escalated to the point where a key staff member has resigned, and neighborhood meetings have become volatile. Online harassment in the form of AI-generated caricatures has also dominated the social media debate on the Nextdoor platform.

Former community association board president Bernard Markowicz is concerned that the golf course controversy has diverted the community association's focus from essential neighborhood business, potentially harming the island's economy. Princeville's economic engine, as Markowicz sees it, is the tourism industry brought in by the hotels and vacation rentals.

The issue has resulted in multiple lawsuits. Starwood lost a court battle in July 2025, with Judge Kathleen Watanabe ruling in favor of two residents who argued that the golf course development would contradict Princeville's original incorporation papers. The plaintiffs also claimed that disturbing the anthrax-tainted soil could release harmful spores. Starwood, however, has dismissed these claims as "self-serving fear mongering."

Now, Starwood faces a new legal challenge from a couple, Shen and Emma Beard Schulz, who allege that Starwood used deceptive tactics to gain control of the community association board and advance its plan to convert the golf course into luxury homes.