 Aloha and Mabuhay. Welcome to another edition of our Pinoy Power Hawaii here on Think Tech Hawaii. But first I want to thank the wonderful staff of Think Tech Hawaii for allowing us the opportunity to come into your homes on Tuesdays live at 12 noon. Today we have a very very special guest, someone that makes everyone happy whenever they need to get away to a special place. He doesn't need any formal introduction because he is well known. Last Saturday he was one of our empowered awardees for making a positive change and of course uplifting everyone's lives. They are also a gold sponsor of our radio, Pinoy Power Radio. It is a pleasure to welcome sales and promotions manager of Vacations Hawaii, Mr. Kevin Kanashiro. Thank you. Welcome to our show. Pleasure. First of all, again, we want to express our gratitude, Kevin, and to the entire staff of Vacations Hawaii for always taking care of our wonderful listeners and our clients. And of course the Filipino community is a large part of our market. We send about 2,000 people a week to Las Vegas, Hawaii residents. We charter four packages per week on our charter flights, but we have a full service travel agency, so we send tons of people on Hawaiian Airlines, American Delta, United Alaska Airlines. And our Filipino supporters have been supporting us, so it's a pleasure to support the Filipino community. That is so wonderful to hear. We are so always excited about promoting Vacations Hawaii on our radio because when they hear the magic number, the magic affordable number, they are always wanting to book. Yeah. It's a great deal. Tell us about the specials going on so they can call and take advantage. Well of course, one of the biggest questions I always get is why do you think Vegas is the number one destination for the Hawaii traveler? And some people would say there's a lot of Asians in Hawaii, and the concept of luck goes with gambling, and it's a fun thing. But I really think California Hotel and Vacations Hawaii charter packages are probably the number one reason. It's literally cheaper for Hawaii residents to go to Las Vegas than to even go to an outer island. We always have our 699 specials, which includes round trip air from Hawaii to Las Vegas, your four or five nights hotel, three meals daily, and of course the transfers to and from the airport in Las Vegas. It's truly the most economical package price for Hawaii travelers. And of course Vegas is so different than Hawaii with all the lights and shows, restaurants, amusements. It's very popular. Yes. It is considered the ninth island as a matter of fact. Affectionately known as the ninth island and appropriately as well. It is my favorite destination. In fact, I've called it Timbuktu, because I don't want to mention Vegas sometimes. I just want to go away to a quiet place, but you can't do that in Las Vegas. There's quiet places in Vegas. You've got your spas, and there's so many beautiful natural places right around, you know, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon and the Red Rock canyons, a lot of beautiful natural things to see around Vegas as well. Yes. Okay. Let's continue our conversation. Tell us a little bit about Kevin Canashiro. How did you get started? And as young as you look, you look like you just turned 21. You're sweet. Ah. When we mentioned vacation Hawaii, it's Kevin Canashiro, the sales and promotions manager. Well, it's kind of a funny story, because back in 1984, 34 years ago, I was going to Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, which was our church university. So I was predestined from birth to go there. But back in 1984, I was just back in Hawaii for summer break. I was only supposed to be here just for that summer. And my buddy Bill Smith, who owned Vacations Hawaii before Boyd Gaming bought us, he offered me a summer job. And during that summer, we took on a huge client, American Airlines. We started doing all their inbound operations for the thousands of people they flew into Hawaii from all the ground handling. And since we got such a huge account, I forfeited going back to San Diego for school. It's been a fun ride. You know, shortly after that, we started doing groups to Tahiti and Las Vegas and Disneyland, San Francisco. Those were real dominant travel destinations back in the 80s. And the rest is history. The rest is history. Then, of course, in the 95 Boyd Gaming bought Vacations Hawaii to start charter service from Hawaii to Las Vegas to make it economical for our Hawaii customers to get to Las Vegas. How exciting. It was fun. And you came with a package. That's the true reason Boyd Gaming bought Vacations Hawaii so they could have that ability to start chartering flights just for Boyd Gaming customers. And now I'm going to get to the California Hotel. And of course, if you know any of the history of Sam Boyd and the California Hotel back in the 70s, he just bought the California Hotel when it was in a foreclosure. It's a rags to riches story. He was an attorney. He lived in Hawaii for a while and went to Vegas. Just a few bucks in his pocket started working, making some money in some casinos, decided to buy California Hotel in a foreclosure, struck gold. He was so innovative and progressive. He was one of the first casinos to start having female blackjack dealers. Back in the 70s, he would offer people free hotel, free meals to come into the California Hotel. And people back then thought, oh, you're crazy. You're going to go out of business. And of course, that's a model for every major casino now. They give all qualified players free meals and free hotel stay. So he created the mold. He created the mold. He used to bribe bus drivers from Arizona and California that brought bus loads of people to Las Vegas to stop at the California Hotel first. And of course, a few years later, he bought the Fremont Hotel in a foreclosure than the Stardust Hotel. And less than 50 years later, it's a multi-billion-dollar corporation, almost 30 properties across the country, one of the leading gaming corporations in America, so pretty exciting. What a wonderful legacy that Sam Boyd had started. And it's not just about making money. It's also about sharing his blessings with others. That's one great thing with the Boyd gaming family. Sam Boyd passed away in the 90s, but his son Bill Boyd is now one of our top CEOs and such a generous giving family. And of course, we just did our $450,000 UH Athletics donation. And we actually did it at this past Sunday's volleyball game. It was very exciting. And of course, he supports so many other Hawaii causes as well as other causes all across the country now that he has so many properties across the country. But such a generous family. Yes. We are also benefactors of his generosity. You've been supporting us for so many years now, and you've been a part of our big celebration. We celebrated our 13th anniversary. And this is why you are part of our empowerment, Kevin. I should have brought my sash. Is that the first empowered sash that you've ever gotten? I got an empowered sash at Pigella on Saturday, so that was very fun. So we want to personally thank you for helping the six school districts. And I need to mention that they are Cabeza, which has three school districts in Ilocos, and also Amarosa, that's a Paya Mangato in Santa Rosa. And that's the school that I attended up to nine years old when I finally came to Hawaii to live the American dream. Oh, nice. In addition to that, there are 19 orphanage that lives in the St. Joseph orphanage, which will also benefit from your monthly support for our radio and also your generous donation. Is that in the Philippines? In the Philippines, in Ilocos, Norte, so your generosity is shared throughout the world. Wonderful. And that's part of our empowerment. Excellent. Yes. Back to talking about the wonderful packages that Vacations Hawaii has to offer. And tell us, what do you enjoy most about your job? And it seems like it gives you young forever. I do joke that I have the best job in the world. I live in paradise, live in Hawaii, and get to promote the number one destination, Las Vegas, and my favorite place to visit. You know, doing promotions and marketing for Las Vegas here in Hawaii, there's so many events and with so many customers that go with us four, five, six times, seven times a year. We have such dedicated customers, and it's all about going somewhere and having fun. And hey, yeah, our company's called Gaming. It's a game. It's fun. It's a game. And of course, through the years, we've had so many million-dollar winners. And tell us about some of them, because I know that Lady from Moloka'i. Moloka'i. Yes. Yeah. In fact, Jake Shimabukuro's grandmother, back in early 2000s, I think it was an $8.9 million jackpot at the Fremont, and that was pretty exciting. But our very first million-dollar winner back in 95 was Alex Ayers from Waipahu. And he played Kino, and it was his very first bet of his trip. He had just checked into the hotel. His Kino numbers, he picked all his kids' ages. And would you believe he got all numbers correct and walked away with a million dollars? So that was pretty exciting. And actually, Waipahu's done pretty good for us. Back in, in fact, it was 2008, Jessica, 24 years old, also from Waipahu. Her first visit to Vegas, she was playing a slot machine there at the California Hotel. And four spins. She played four spins and lined up the progressives and walked away with $2.4 million. So awesome. 24 years old. Yes. 2.4 million. Life-changing. Yeah. As they say in the slot machines, one, one pool could change your life. Yes. And I believe in beginner's luck, right? That is so true. In fact, just last month, we had, as many Hawaii families do, they took their daughter to Las Vegas for her 21st birthday. Yes. That's a common occurrence. And right before midnight, before she was turning 21, her uncle gave her just a $3 Kino scratch card. She picked her birthday numbers, and she was a soccer player. So she picked her soccer number, and she got all the numbers right. That was on a $3 bet, I believe. And so she walked away with $1,000, I think $3,000, so. Not bet for a $3 bet. For your very first legal 21-year-old bet in Vegas, that's the way to do it. That's the way to get you hooked, too. It is. It's funny. Gaming Corporation for almost 30-plus years. Are you dating yourself, Kevin? I actually didn't really get into gambling until about seven or eight years ago. What I like to say is, once you get a tax form win, which is $1,200 or more, it kind of gets you. It's like, oh my goodness, $3 and $1,200. Yay. That's fun. Wow. It can change your life. It can. Yeah. I know that there are so many different places to go to. There are different attractions, and many shows to see. It's not just gambling, but it's also a family destination now. Oh, definitely. And lots of rides and lots of casinos, and of course, you can go to the surrounding areas if you want to get some nature and get away from the bright lights of Las Vegas Strip and just the Bellagio Fountain Show. So many amusements in so many of the casinos, Rida Gondola at the Venetian, Pirate Ships at the Mirage, or the Treasure Island. I mean, there's just so much to see and do. A long list. Yeah. Well, we're going to come back and talk more about Las Vegas. It's our favorite family destination. You've got Vegas on your mind. Get Vacations Hawaii on the line. We will take a quick break. We'll be right back with sales and promotions manager Mr. Kevin Kanashiro after a short break. And Aloha. My name is Calvin Griffin, the host of Hawaii in Uniform. And every Friday at 11 o'clock here on Think Tech Hawaii, we bring in the latest in what's happening within the military community. And we also invite all of your response to things that's happening here. For those of you who haven't seen the program before, again, we invite your participation. We're here to give information, not disinformation. And we always enjoy response from the public. But join us here, Hawaii in Uniform, Fridays, 11 a.m. here on Think Tech Hawaii. Aloha. Hello. My name is Stephanie Mock. And I'm one of three hosts of Think Tech Hawaii's Hawaii Food and Farmer series. Our other hosts are Matt Johnson and Pamai Weigert. And we talk to those who are in the fields and behind the scenes of our local food system. We talk to farmers, chefs, restaurateurs, and more to learn more about what goes into sustainable agriculture here in Hawaii. We are on a Thursdays at 4 p.m. And we hope we'll see you next time. Welcome back to Pinoy Power Hawaii. Our guest for today is very, very popular, especially if you've got Vegas on your mind, get Vacations Hawaii on the line. He is the Promotions and Sales Manager for Vacations Hawaii, also an empowered, awardy, and very generous, very popular among organizations and other businesses that want to award or reward their workers, their employees with a Vacations Hawaii package. Mr. Kevin Canashiro will do all the work necessary to make your vacation a happy and enjoyable, memorable vacation. Well, with you mentioning that, that's a good segue. You know, there are a lot of companies that take group trips to Las Vegas. And I think it is literally cheaper for them to take them to Vegas than to go to Maui. So they're like, yeah, let's just take our office to Vegas. And those are fun incentives. And of course, we just finished our $3 million renovations in our ballrooms at the California Hotel. It looks great. Raised the ceilings, beautiful chandeliers, and they haven't raised the menu prices. So already, that's a deal in itself. Banquet space in Vegas is so much cheaper than Hawaii. So you could really, as a company, do a fantastic, impressive trip to Vegas and anchor in keeping those in place. That's right. Great. You get away. It's also a wonderful incentive. You know, when companies mention, oh, if you are the top seller for this month, you're going to get a free trip to Vegas. You get a free trip to Vegas. Tons of companies do that. Yeah. Yes. And it gets everybody going. They get very, very competitive, and it works. So it's an advantage to you as well as the company promoting you. Oh, yeah, definitely. So yeah, we appreciate all of the business. Thank you so much. And of course, shows. People always love to go to Vegas for shows. And any weekend, any time of the year, there's tons. Just this weekend, we've got NASCAR races. The middleweight world championship boxing finals are this weekend. And next weekend, you've got the giant I Heart Media concerts, as well as the Life is Beautiful Festival, which is right downtown Vegas. So it's just a few blocks from our Fremont Main Street and California Hotel property, which this festival celebrates music, arts. They paint murals all over downtown Vegas, just giant on the sides of buildings. It's pretty amazing what they come up with. Yeah. I'm just amazed. I mean, I go to Vegas all the time. That's how I earned my first-class upgrade. Yes. But tell us what's happening in October. Why is it that October is so popular? You know, people, October is always our most popular month. People are always shocked that, you know, oh, October's already sold out in August. What's going on? Yeah. But I think the reason October is so popular is, number one, it's considered one of the best weather months of the year for Las Vegas. Not too cold, not too hot. Perfect temperature. There's a lot of large expos and events in October, tons of reunions in October. But my thinking is a lot of our frequent travelers that go four, five, six times a year, I think they get to September, August, they're like, oh, wow, it's almost New Year's and Thanksgiving and Christmas. I want to go to Vegas one more time. So October is the month. October, they're like, this is our last chance before the holidays. Plus, everybody gets to dress up because Halloween is right around the corner and they get to be themselves, right? And Halloween is a crazy time in Vegas, right there on Fremont Street. I mean, any night, any weekend night, especially of the year, it's crazy on Fremont Street. But with the costumes and the parade, yeah. Kevin, the saying, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Stays in Vegas, yes. And we get to hang loose. Do you agree with that? I mean, loose in Vegas is kind of crazy, for sure. So what is your favorite thing to do? Like give us some of your secret tips when, you know, there are times when I'm out of money because I don't access it, yes, exactly. And I need to kill time or do something. What are some of the things that we can do for free and yet still enjoyable? The number one things, of course, our Fremont Street experience is any night of the week is a party, three live main stages with live music. It's a party going on every night in Vegas. And of course, excuse me, the California Hotel, we're just one block away from Fremont Street. If you're at Fremont Hotel, you're right on Fremont Street. Other things I'd like to recommend is the Bellagio Fountains. Fountains are so impressive and beautiful, a different show every 15 minutes. The lighting is different. The lighting is good. So there are so many things that we can do that doesn't cost us any money. And yet you're going to find a very enjoyable and rewarding, fulfilling experience. Yes. And there are some things that cost a little money that I recommend. The High Roller Ferris Wheel is one of those things. Yes. There are many, many things that you can take advantage of. There are hotels and casinos that offer like free pool and their machines that doesn't cost you anything. But they try to get you to come in and see what's going on in their property. And this is a great way for you to walk in the door and see what they have to offer. And like I said, October, November, and December, not too many people because people like to stay at home and spend Christmas at home. But the weeks leading up to Christmas and even Thanksgiving is a busy time, especially for October. Especially October. Sometimes right before the holidays it slows down a little bit. People are thinking of family things. Yeah. So let's look over our list, Kevin, and maybe take a little breather. Some of the headliners, Bruno Mars is another popular star that plays at the, is it Planet Hollywood? Well, he actually doesn't have a residency, but he's rang in the new year for the last five years in Las Vegas. Of course, he just did a summer concert in Las Vegas as well, but so many. We're expecting him to come home. And of course, he's coming home to Hawaii in November, so that'll be, I believe it's, no, it's not his first Hawaii concert back since he made it big, is it? It's one of the first. It's one of the biggest anyway. He's since he got really big. Yes. Yes. Multi-millionaire Bruno Mars. Yes, yes. We're proud of him. When he was that little Bruno, little Elvis in Las Vegas, five years old, amazing. All part of Vegas history and now mega superstar. He makes a little, a little bit of bucks now, doesn't he? Bruno Mars. Hawaii boy. That's right. You know, anytime we mention the Las Vegas, people get excited and they can't help but think about going back. Even if they do lose their money, like I do, it doesn't take me long to get over that feeling. Well of course, with the vacation in Hawaii, one of the reasons I think we're so popular, the casinos will send out $100 and $200 travel credits. Yes, the Mahalo checks. Every year, several times a year and say someone's got a $6.99 departure and they've got a $200 travel credit. That brings it down to $4.99. $4.99. If they qualify for a comp room, they're a higher level player. That takes off another $100, $3.99. And of course, if you're a higher player, like our friend Emmy, you get the free first class upgrades, the free luggage. Oh, thank God and thank vacation Hawaii. All those bonuses really, yes. They do add up and then I get $100 free play whenever I check in. Add 100 free play. So by the time you get all that. It's always nice to play on casino money. And then of course, Gold Coast always have that drawing, which I won there also for the seniors Wednesday. Yes, 50 plus. And actually that promotion is at all our board gaming properties. It is now. It is also at California Fremont and Main Street. So if you're 50 plus, play at a Boyd property on a Wednesday. Slide your card in one of the kiosks because they give you random multipliers. And as you know that you can get a random just free cash. Just a lot of bonus money is always fun in a casino. Well, I love the 10 times. So that always rack up the points. Speaking of promotions, you may have seen scratch card promotion at the Main Street Station Hotel. Main Street is famous for that. You can get at 5,000 bonus cash just last month. Hawaii girl, she got her, and all you have to do is get four of a kind in a video poker. She got four threes. So she got her scratch card. She had one of the 5,000 scratch cards. So people always ask me, is there really a 5,000 card? Yes, there is. And Hawaii girl won it last month. So that's exciting. With the two minutes that we have left in our segment, I want to thank again Vacations Hawaii and of course your entire staff that they do a remarkable job in accommodating our clients and our listeners. So make sure that you thank them. I certainly will. Leslie, Kevin, I know that you're going to be around for a long time with Vacations Hawaii. What is it that you would like to be remembered as when they say Vacations Hawaii and Kevin Kanashiro? Wow. Million dollar question. Well when I win the megabucks, I was a very generous person. I think I like to have fun and working with Vegas and our customers that go to Vegas, I get to experience fun through them. And I hope to be remembered for someone that helped other people have fun. That's how I remember you, you know, always with a smile, always cheerful and joyful, you know, you never see Kevin having a frown on his face because he's always running around, especially the Mahalo party. When you have to host so many thousands of people that come and attend, you're the man. You do make Vacations Hawaii. Those Mahalo parties are fun. Every November we do a Mahalo party for our top casino guests on Maui and we do one in Hilo. And then we do two parties in Honolulu because obviously most of our customers live on Oahu. But yeah, getting to say thank you to thousands of our hotel guests, our casino guests every year is really fun. Well thank you again on behalf of Think That Hawaii for allowing us this program, Pinoy Power Hawaii. We come to your home every week and we thank Vacations Hawaii, got Vegas on your mind, get Vacations Hawaii on the line. You may call them direct 591-4777, Vacations Hawaii. Mr. Kevin Kanashiro, Maraming Maraming Salamat Po, God Bless, Mahalo and Mabuhay.