Rainmaker Hotel

{{Short description|Hotel in Pago Pago, American Samoa}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox hotel | name = Rainmaker Hotel | logo = | logo_size = | image = RAINMAKER HOTEL, PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA.jpg | caption = In 2007 | location = [[Utule'i]], [[Pago Pago]], [[American Samoa]]. | pushpin_map = | coordinates = | opening_date = 1960s | stars = | diamonds = | closing_date = | developer = | architect = | operator = | owner = | number_of_restaurants = | number_of_rooms = 250 | number_of_suites = | floor_area = | floor_count = | parking = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Rainmaker Hotel''' was a 250-room luxury hotel in [[Utulei, American Samoa|Utulei]], [[Pago Pago]], [[American Samoa]].<ref name="The New Pacific magazine">{{cite book|title=The New Pacific magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P7YVAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=20 March 2011|date=1 January 1981|publisher=New Pacific Pub.}}</ref> It was the only proper hotel in American Samoa and was operated by the government. The hotel was at its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was known as the '''Pacific's Intercontinental Hotel'''.<ref name="Pacific magazine">{{cite book|title=Pacific magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kIXrAAAAIAAJ|accessdate=6 April 2011|year=2007|publisher=PacificBasin Communications|page=126}}</ref>

The hotel was dedicated in November 1965. The four-day hotel opening celebrations began with a flag-raising at the Governor's Office on [[Flag Day (American Samoa)|Flag Day]], followed by a royal ‘ava ceremony conducted at the [[Fagatogo]] malae by Taumafaalofi and Aumaga of [[Nuʻuuli]]. The parade that followed was the longest in history. Several members of the U.S. Congress attended and the Air Force Band played music. Senator [[Alan Bible]] was the featured Flag Day speaker and the [[Department of the Interior]] sent its top officials. Governor [[John A. Burns]] came from [[Hawai'i]] with General Harris of the Air Force and Admiral Fabik of the Coast Guard. Prime Minister [[Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II|Mata'afa]] headed the [[Western Samoa]]n delegation.<ref>Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009). ''A History of American Samoa''. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 282. {{ISBN|9781573062992}}.</ref>

In 1980, an air disaster occurred when a [[US Navy]] plane hit the cables of the Mt. Alava aerial tramway and crashed into the hotel, killing the six servicemen aboard and two tourists who were staying at the hotel.<ref name="Stanley1999">{{cite book|last=Stanley|first=David|title=Tonga-Samoa Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c4zuaH62f0YC&pg=PA175|accessdate=6 April 2011|date=6 October 1999|publisher=David Stanley|isbn=978-1-56691-174-0|page=175}}</ref> The hotel manager reportedly refused that a memorial be erected inside the hotel grounds.<ref name="Stanley1999"/>

The hotel hosted most of the [[Miss Island Queen Pageant]] competitions between 1987 and 2001.

In May 2002 the hotel was ordered to pay a US$400,000 overdue power bill to the [[American Samoa Power Authority]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/139610/state-owned-hotel-in-american-samoa-ordered-to-pay-huge-overdue-bill |title=State-owned hotel in American Samoa ordered to pay huge overdue bill |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=31 May 2002 |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> In March 2003 the ASPA cut off its power for a night after failing to receive payment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/142693/troubled-hotel-in-american-samoa-loses-electricity-again |title=Troubled hotel in American Samoa loses electricity again |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=5 March 2003 |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

In 2004 the government agreed to lease part of the hotel to businessman Tom Drabble.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/149167/american-samoa-government-to-lease-part-of-rainmaker-hotel |title=American Samoa government to lease part of Rainmaker Hotel |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=17 June 2004 |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> In August 2004 the American Samoan Senate rejected a government bail-out plan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/150292/american-samoa-senate-opposed-to-hotel-bail-out-plan |title=American Samoa Senate opposed to hotel bail out plan |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=23 August 2004 |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

In 2014 it was announced that the derelict hotel would be demolished.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/former-rainmaker-hotel-will-soon-be-completely-demolished|title=Rainmaker Hotel will soon be completely demolished|publisher=Samoa News|date=10 July 2014|accessdate=22 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122192841/http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/former-rainmaker-hotel-will-soon-be-completely-demolished#|archive-date=2015-11-22|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was demolished in 2015 after sitting deserted for over a decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/305057/american-samoa-hotel-project-gets-two-offers |title=American Samoa hotel project gets two offers |date=28 May 2016 |publisher=[[RNZ]] |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

==History== On February 21, 1964, it was reported in the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' that the [[Area Redevelopment Administration]] (ARA) had announced a million-dollar loan toward constructing a hotel in [[Pago Pago]]. The ARA stated in the article that “only tourism… offers a sound basis on which to restructure the economy.” It was anticipated that tourists would be arriving in increased numbers due to new scheduled flights. The paper notes that “if Samoa were independent… it would doubtless be getting a far costlier restructuring.”<ref>”Restructuring in Pago Pago." ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' (Feb. 21, 1964). Page 8.</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hotels in American Samoa]] [[Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2015]] [[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in American Samoa]] [[Category:Government-owned companies of Oceania]] [[Category:Government-owned hospitality companies]]