Cardrona Alpine Resort plans to install a fourth chairlift and cut new trails this summer, and the new facilities should be ready for opening day next season.
A resource consent application lodged with the Queenstown Lakes District Council Lakes Environmental at the end of last month is still being assessed by planners.
The chairlift route would open up new terrain above Speed Straight, on the skifield access road, and take skiers to the bottom of the Whitestar chairlift.
It would travel 750m from 1265m above sea level to 1540m.
The base buildings are at 1650m.
Skifield managing director Duncan Veall said yesterday he could not release too many details, because the council's response was not yet known, but he hoped to have more information in a fortnight.
Skiers have been speculating Cardrona would install a fourth chairlift after the Captain's Basin chairlift was replaced with a high-speed Poma chairlift last year and the former quad chairlift was put in storage.
Mr Veall confirmed the fourth chairlift is the former Captain's quad.
"It opens up a large chunk of new terrain that is undulating and very interesting to ski. It also includes a race training area and also a super G and ladies' downhill course," Mr Veall said.
Mr Veall said he did not yet know how much it would cost to put in the chairlift but agreed it was a million-dollar-plus investment.
The skifield wanted to increase its skiable terrain and put in more facilities before the 2009 New Zealand Winter Games.
Cardrona Alpine Resort will close for the season on October 12 and had had a good year, with visitor numbers probably slightly up on last year, Mr Veall said.
