The airport’s inclusion wasn’t destiny; it was a decision, argued and voted into being, but credit is due where it’s due: Charles Djou saw the value of that alignment long before the city did. When we ride past after October 16, 2025, it’s worth remembering that what feels inevitable today was once anything but.
In a world where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to obtain resources, having the ability to quickly acquire them using the influence of a former executive’s personality is seen as an advantage. In Hawaii, this earned asset, developed over years of service, may allow more individuals to engage in an “act 2” of their public service career now and into the future.
Skyline cost a lot, and the people who “drove the train” if you will – the leaders of Honolulu and even the state – paid pretty high prices for Skyline.