{"id":2300553,"date":"2026-02-26T03:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T03:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2300553"},"modified":"2026-02-26T03:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T03:38:01","slug":"roberts-hawai%ca%bbi-to-open-new-entertainment-venue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/roberts-hawai%ca%bbi-to-open-new-entertainment-venue\/","title":{"rendered":"Roberts Hawai\u02bbi to open new entertainment venue"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The transportation company Roberts Hawai\u02bbi will open Limelight Hawai\u02bbi, a new entertainment venue focused on the kama\u02bb\u0101ina market next month, Roy E. Pfund, the company\u2019s president and CEO, told Aloha State Daily. The venue, which was once Hawaiian Hut, is located on the grounds of the Ala Moana Hotel and will soft open on March 20.<\/p>\n
Originally, Roberts Hawai\u2019i purchased the venue as a place for its long-running show, Magic of Polynesia, which had been at the Waik\u012bk\u012b Beachcomber by Outrigger hotel. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, that show closed, and Roberts Hawai\u02bbi decided to reimagine the space as one that could serve kama\u2019\u0101ina.<\/p>\n
Limelight Hawai\u02bbi is a 6,000-square foot space designed to accommodate weddings, corporate events, fashion shows, and high-level night club entertainment. It can fit up to 700 guests with a stage and 400 guests with table service. The space can accommodate just under 900 with no furniture, he said. The total investment \u2014\u00a0including buying the space \u2014 was about $15 million, Pfund said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re really focusing on the kama\u02bb\u0101ina market,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd from the history part of how Covid impacted our company \u2014\u00a0 everything got shut down on the tourism side, and it took a while to build back \u2014 I think that was one of the main reasons why we looked at shifting to diversify our base, seeking a greater portion of our business outside the direct tourism industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>Roy Pfund, president and CEO of Roberts Hawai\u02bbi; Jim Gillespie, executive chef for Limelight Hawai\u02bbi; and Jeff Marcello, general manager for Limelight Hawai\u02bbi. (Limelight Hawai\u02bbi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>Limelight Hawai\u02bbi is a flexible entertainment space that can seat up to 400 guests with table service. (Limelight Hawai\u02bbi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>Limelight Hawai\u02bbi offers an audio and sound system for use at events. (Limelight Hawai\u02bbi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>Limelight Hawai\u02bbi is designed to host events such as weddings or a Mother’s Day brunch. (Limelight Hawai\u02bbi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Limelight](\"https:\/\/aloha-state-daily-img.imgix.net\/Articles\/RMEDIA_LIMELIGHT102.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=compress&fm=webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>![\"Limelight](\"https:\/\/aloha-state-daily-img.imgix.net\/Articles\/RMEDIA_LIMELIGHT107.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=compress&fm=webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>![\"Limelight](\"https:\/\/aloha-state-daily-img.imgix.net\/Articles\/RMEDIA_LIMELIGHT097.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=compress&fm=webp\")
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