Victoria Ward Centers
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Ward Centers, formerly known as Victoria Ward Centers, is a major shopping complex of various shopping centers near Waikiki at Kaka'ako in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Only minutes away from the larger Ala Moana Center, Ward Centers is considered a retail hub as host to Ward Entertainment Center, Ward Centre, Ward Farmers Market, Ward Gateway Center, Ward Village Shops, Ward Warehouse and a new, multimillion dollar 150,00 square foot (14,000 m²) entertainment center boasting the largest theater megaplex in Hawai'i. The theater complex, owned by Consolidated Theatres, and high tech midway opened in 2001. There is also the new Ward Village Development that will add a very large section to the Ward Centers.
[edit] Early history
Victoria Ward was the wife of Honolulu industrialist Curtis Perry Ward and daughter of influential British shipbuilder James Robinson. Victoria Ward and her husband owned a vast estate that stretched from downtown Honolulu to the shores of Ala Moana. On the estate was their mansion, Old Plantation, the site of the present-day Neal S. Blaisdell Center, a civic center of the City & County of Honolulu. In 1882, Curtis Perry Ward died and left his holdings to his wife and daughters. Victoria Ward continued the family business, purchasing real estate which would be developed for commercial use. At one time, Victoria Ward owned all of the land at Kaka'ako.
[edit] Victoria Ward Limited
Victoria Ward established Victoria Ward Limited, the company that controlled the entire Ward estate. After her death, the Ward children decided to develop the land at Kaka'ako especially for retail. This was a very lucrative venture considering the billions of dollars generated by the tourism industry in Hawai'i. In the early 2000s, Victoria Ward Limited began an aggressive development plan to expand Victoria Ward Centers and attract new tenants from the mainland United States that have yet to open for business in the Hawai'i market.
