Two luxury homes that once were offered at $10.3 million and $9.1 million at the Hualalai Resort on the Big Island will be auctioned on Aug. 10 with no minimum bid.

Concierge Auctions and Hualalai Realty are conducting the auctions of the five- and four-bedroom homes, both on Lau'eki Street. Both homes are on oceanview lots of more than 20,000 square feet each.

Each home has more than 4,400 square feet of space, expansive lanai, custom-designed swimming pools, outdoor and indoor kitchens, media rooms, outdoor shower gardens and other amenities.

To attend the auction, bidders will be required to register and make a $100,000 deposit.

"This is a 'one of a kind' sale opportunity, never before seen at Hualalai, and perhaps never to be duplicated in the future," said Rob Kildow, Hualalai Realty principal broker.

UNITED GIVES FREQUENT FLIERS A BREAK

Frequent fliers can go farther on fewer miles under a United Airlines promotion announced yesterday.

The company, one of Hawai'i's dominant airlines, said it is reducing by at least 20 percent the amount of miles required for Saver Award travel to many international and domestic locations.

For example, a Hawai'i trip that would have required 40,000 miles will require just 30,000 during the promotion.

For roundtrip travel within North America, a trip that would have cost 25,000 miles will drop to 20,000 miles.

Saver Award tickets must be booked on united.com by July 24, and travel must be completed between Aug. 18 and Nov. 18. A major competitor, Hawaiian Airlines, said it is still evaluating the change.

KHON PARENT CLEARED TO PAY ITS BILLS

The parent of KHON has received approval to pay vendors, employees and other ordinary business costs while it operates under bankruptcy protection.

New Vision Television, which filed for bankruptcy Monday, said a federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware approved the company's first-day motions, including a request for $28 million in new financing.

LINGLE WON'T VETO HAWAIIAN TELCOM BILL

A bill that deregulates some telephone rates will become law.

Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday that she will not veto Senate Bill 603, which allows Hawaiian Telcom to lower its existing telephone rates without having to seek approval from the state Public Utilities Commission.

Proponents say the bill will allow the local phone company to bundle its services and rates, creating a level playing field with wireless and other unregulated telecommunications providers.