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Pomaikai Ballrooms at Dole Cannery fall victim to coronavirus pandemic

STAR-ADVERTISER / 2013
                                Pomaikai Ballrooms at Dole Cannery was renovated in 2013.
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STAR-ADVERTISER / 2013

Pomaikai Ballrooms at Dole Cannery was renovated in 2013.

The Pomaikai Ballrooms at Dole Cannery — dependent on large gatherings that are no longer allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic — closed for good Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a number of government mandates, some of which shut down our ability to host gatherings since March 14 of this year,” Jeff Marcello, general manager of Pomaikai Ballrooms, said in a news release. “While some of those mandates will expire at the end of July, there are others for which there are no clear expectations as to when they will be lifted.

“Without a clear idea of how long the prohibitions on gatherings will be in place, and if others will be implemented, we’ve determined we cannot continue operations,” he continued.

Since 2013, Pomaikai Ballrooms has hosted weddings, banquets, corporate meetings, concerts and other events. It had two event spaces at its Iwilei location in the same building, owned by Castle &Cooke, that houses the Regal Dole Cannery movie theaters.

Clients who booked a ballroom have been informed they will receive a full refund of any security deposit.

Pomaikai Ballrooms employed fewer than 20 staffers and dozens of on-call banquet workers. Employees will receive employment assistance and outplacement services in addition to other job transition services, according to the release.

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