HONOLULU- Reports have surfaced that a deal is in the works for the Hard Rock Hotel to come to Hawaii.
The chain has reportedly been discussing possible hotel acquisitions or management deals in Waikiki, including one involving the Yacht Harbor tower of the Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel which was just bought by local developer Brian Anderson.
The company has yet to ink any definitive deal, according to people familiar with the Hard Rock Hotel effort.
Some local hotel industry experts note that Waikiki could be a difficult market for Hard Rock to enter, given limited opportunities to develop or acquire and remodel a well-located hotel, according to the reports.
Other observers familiar with the company's effort said Hard Rock is very intent on expanding its brand to the popular urban Hawaii resort where visitor counts and room rates are booming.
In Hawaii, Anderson and other developers have been leading the trend of acquiring existing hotels for renovation and resale by the unit as so-called CONDOTEL conversions.

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