KAPALUA --- Kapalua Land Co. announced Tuesday that it will not host the Kapalua LPGA Classic this year, and the women's golf tour has said it plans to pursue legal action.
The tournament began last year, and has not had a title sponsor. Being without one left Kapalua unable to continue hosting the event, according to the company's senior vice president of resort operations.
''It's the whole reason,'' Gary Planos said. ''If we had a title sponsorship we would have the event. At this time, we don't.''
In a release, LPGA deputy commissioner Libba Galloway said: ''The organizers of the Kapalua LPGA Classic have informed us that they will not honor the remaining four years of their five-year contract to host an annual LPGA event through 2012. We are extremely disappointed with their decision not to conduct the October 2009 event, and we will vigorously enforce all our legal rights under the contract due to this breach. While we understand the difficulties faced by all businesses due to the recession, the Kapalua Land Company, the contract holder, is continuing to conduct business. We are extremely confident that we will be successful in pursuit of our legal remedies.''
Planos seemed disappointed with the LPGA's response.
''I was not hoping for that,'' he said.
Kapalua Land Co. is a subsidiary of Maui Land & Pineapple Co. In May, ML&P reported a net loss of $13.2 million for the first quarter of this year. The quarterly report did not include the $50 million sale of the Plantation Course in March to TY Management Corp. of Oahu.
ML&P reported a loss of $70.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The LPGA event was played on the Bay Course.
''I'm not going to minimize the disappointment,'' Planos said.
''We'll have to wait and see how the future unfolds.''
The Plantation Course is the site of the PGA Tour's season-opening event. In May, that tour announced a 10-year contract with Seoul Broadcasting System to replace Mercedes-Benz USA as the title sponsor of the January winners-only tournament. Mercedes had been the sponsor since 1999.
Planos, the tournament chairmain for both events, said the search for a sponsor for the LPGA tournament had been ongoing.
''We knew it was tough to find a title sponsor. We had been trying up into this month. We were searching in Asia and on the Mainland, and with ourselves and the parties that we've engaged, we have not been able to bring the right sponsors.''
Morgan Pressel, who is sponsored by Kapalua, won last year's LPGA Classic.
''She was understanding,'' Planos said. ''Of course, she was disappointed that she won't be back here to defend her title. It was one of the bright spots of her year. Morgan's been very supportive of the resort.''
Brad Sherman is at sports@mauinews.com
