Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Named in Lawsuit Over Hawaii Real Estate Project

A luxury real estate venture that counted Shohei Ohtani as its first resident and celebrity spokesperson is at the center of a lawsuit, filed Friday in Hawaii circuit court, that accuses both the Dodgers star and his agent of "tortious interference" and "unjust enrichment."

The Associated Press reports that CAA agent Nez Balelo, who negotiated Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, "demanded the terminations" of two people associated with the Hapuna Estates development on the big island of Hawaii.

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A developer, Kevin J. Hayes Sr., and real estate broker, Tomoko Matsumoto, were allegedly fired in July by Kingsbarn Realty Capital after Balelo threatened to pull Ohtani's endorsement of the project if they did not agree to concessions. Ohtani is still listed as the "first resident" of the 14-home development on the project's website.

“Kingsbarn began capitulating to Balelo’s every whim,” the suit said. “Over time, it became increasingly obvious that Kingsbarn was more concerned about preserving its relationship with Ohtani than honoring its obligations to its business partners.”

Nestled in the Mauna Kea Resort. Ohtani's planned 5,000-square-foot home features picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean.

Ohtani's connection to the project has not been in the news since the Wall Street Journal first reported on it in April 2024.

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“I recently selected my lot in this new development, and I plan on building my home there in the near future that I will be able to enjoy for many years to come,” Ohtani said in a statement to the Journal.

“It’s being done to his specs,” a spokesperson for the developer, led by Hayes' West Point Investment Corp., confirmed to the outlet.

Ohtani has been busy in the meantime.

This season, Ohtani has played in all but two of the Dodgers' first 119 games, leading Major League Baseball in plate appearances while also making eight starts as a pitcher — his first games on the mound since suffering a season-ending elbow injury in 2023.

Baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani is building his dream oceanfront home in Hawaii https://t.co/zGd4RbeHDI pic.twitter.com/0ZK2c58uWE
— New York Post (@nypost) April 19, 2024

According to the AP, the lawsuit says the developers spent 11 years working on the deal and “as part of a bold marketing strategy” signed Ohtani to an endorsement deal in 2023.

The Journal originally reported that lots in Hapuna Estates were priced at $4.9 million, but the developers gifted Ohtani his land. They allowed him to cherry-pick his plot, while Ohtani would cover construction costs himself.

“Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity," the plaintiffs wrote in their legal filing, according to the AP. "Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.”

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