The Maui Invitational returns to Lahaina as we grapple with the raw emotions left by a deadly wildfire

Article content

HONOLULU (AP) – Three generations of TJ Rickard’s family lost their homes in the deadly Maui wildfires more than a year ago, and he and his extended family have yet to rebuild. That leaves Rickard, the high school basketball coach, conflicted about next week’s return to the Maui Invitational college tournament.

Like many, Rickard is excited about elite basketball being played at the Lahaina arena, but worries people will think it’s business as usual in his hometown. In fact, he says Lahaina is still struggling after the fire killed at least 102 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Article content

“Not even a minute from where they play, there are houses that have burned down and are still waiting to be rebuilt,” said Rickard, the boys’ coach at Lahainaluna High School.

Many residents are excited about the local exposure to high-level competition and the economic development that the Maui Invitational will bring. But there are also fears that travelers might show disrespect by wandering around the scorched Lahaina and taking pictures of the devastation, or triggering unpleasant memories with questions about that fateful day.

“People are in a weird situation right now because there’s a lot of displacement and loss of community,” said Jon Conrad, Lahainaluna’s sports director. “It’s a very sensitive and lightly charged area.”

Boosters coming to Lahaina should know that “it’s been a year and more, but things are still green,” Conrad said.

The Maui Invitational will bring eight of the top NCAA men’s teams — including two-time defending champion UConn — to Lahaina’s 2,400-seat gym for three days.

Last year, organizers moved the tournament to Honolulu instead of Lahaina where many survivors are still staying in hotels and burning debris. This year, they decided to bring back the 40-year-old event after meeting with the governor’s office, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the mayor of Maui, said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE.

Article content

Article content

“It is our home and we want to be there. And Maui is our ohana, frankly,” Valdiserri said, using the Hawaiian word for family.

Rebuilding is slowly progressing. The Army Corps of Engineers has completely cleared all residences and 91% of most fire debris. Maui County issued 133 building permits after receiving 291 applications. One location has been completed.

Rickard’s experience shows how challenging housing can be even 15 months after a fire. The fire burned the house of my grandparents and my grandfather in their area where Rickard lives with his wife and dog. His parents’ house, which is far away, was burnt down. The fire destroyed a cousin’s house on the other side of the road and another cousin’s place on the next road. My aunt who lived down the street lost her house, too.

Rickard now lives in an apartment 45 minutes away paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. His relatives live with friends or other family.

Maui officials hope the tournament will help rebuild the tourism industry, which has taken a hit. In 2022, the last year the Maui Invitational was held in Lahaina, the tournament brought 6,500 visitors and $24 million in revenue to Maui, KemperSports LIVE said.

Article content

University of Hawaii researchers said last month that less than half of those who had full-time jobs in Lahaina’s tourism industry were still doing so. Those who have jobs work fewer hours, their report says.

Rebuilding helps Javier Barberi deal with adversity. His company, Hana Hou Hospitality, reopened a popular beachside restaurant that survived the fire – Mala Ocean Tavern – eight months after the fire. He and his colleagues renovated another restaurant and launched it as a new establishment called Coco Deck. For him, the return of the tournament is a sign of hope.

“Like, hey, we used to have this. It was gone. Now it is back,” said Barberi. “That restaurant was gone. Now it’s back. That house was gone, now it is being rebuilt. Seeing these things happen, starts to bring things back to normal and bring Maui back. “

Jason Donez, general manager of Leilani’s restaurant, remembers his daughter Lola meeting Mike Krzyzewski, then Duke’s head coach, at a free throw contest in 2018. The Hall of Fame coach told the 12-year-old he had a good shot. , he should stick with it and see him one day in college, Donez said.

Article content

Today, Lola Donez is the new guard at Cal.

Being in groups helped him “dream big,” his father said.

Tickets to the games this year range from $56 to $236 depending on the game and location, but local residents get about a 28% discount. Tournament organizers and teams will hold basketball clinics for local students.

Organizers reminded participating schools and their teams to be respectful, and the tournament website has a similar message for fans. Athletes and their coaches say they understand.

“I think that’s where you try to remind the boys that we’re lucky to be able to go and do things the way we do, and we’re going to a community that has suffered so much that none of us would want anyone to. pass,” North Carolina assistant coach Sean May said. “So we have to be compassionate.”

“But I think in the end, they are happy that we are there, we are happy to be there, it is good for the community. And for me, it brings a lot of excitement.”

_____

AP Sportswriter Aaron Beard contributed to this report.

Article content