HONOLULU (AP) -- A Hawaii state lawmaker says billionaire Larry Ellison isn't planning any radical changes for the Hawaiian island he's agreed to buy.
State Sen. J. Kalani English told The Associated Press on Thursday that he got a call from the Oracle Corp. CEO's personal representatives, and they said Ellison sees Lanai as "much more than an asset."
English says the software magnate's reps expressed sensitivity to the "culture and conservation stewardship of the island," which is home to 3,200 residents.
That's comforting to English and Lanaians who wonder what the outlandish, high-tech magnate has in store for the island and its tourist-driven economy.
English says Castle & Cooke, the current owner of 98 percent of the island, is telling Lanai employees they'll all be retained by Ellison, with all contracts being transferred.
