Remarkables Park Ltd managing director Alastair Porter has plans for a convention centre which could cater for up to 1400 delegates.
It would be built on company land at Frankton.
To fit in with a gondola base station to the Remarkables skifield, the developer is repositioning the centre 300m further south, closer to the Kawarau River, and rotating it 90 degrees.
While progress remains stalled on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's proposed centre in central Queenstown, Mr Porter said the Remarkables Park facility could open in 2018.
Consent was expected to be lodged in a few weeks.
"We expect the centre will strongly appeal to conference organisers in terms of its iconic views, convenient location, close proximity to hotels and retail, and for its ability to leverage the Queenstown gondola for access to Queenstown Park Station and the striking new large NZSki base building on the Remarkables, which will also be able to host conference activities in late spring, summer and autumn,'' Mr Porter said.
The developer originally applied for a 900-delegate convention centre two years ago.
But the proposal was put on hold while plans were prepared for a $50 million gondola from Remarkables Park to the Remarkables skifield.
Dunedin architects Mason & Wales have also revised the centre's exterior design, in particular.
Mr Porter said stage one, estimated to cost $25 million to $35 million to build, could accommodate various configurations including 700 plenary delegates and 500 banqueting in adjacent areas or up to 1400 conferencing in the main hall.
There would also be separate foyer and exhibition spaces.
Stage two would add more than 60% capacity.
Remarkables Park would underwrite the project, but was looking for other partners from the private, local government or central government sectors.
-By Philip Chandler
