The dead man was Mark James Smith, who worked for a local electrical company and had children, aged 11 and 19, Otago police rural area commander Inspector Mike Cook said.
Police have arrested a 34-year-old man and charged him with assault.
The man, who was granted interim name suppression, appeared in Queenstown District Court today and was remanded in custody to appear in Invercargill District Court on November 27.
Further charges may be laid, depending on results of a post mortem and information from witnesses, Mr Cook said.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who might have seen a fight at the Camp Street cab rank or anything that happened in the lead up to it in The Mall or Morrison's Irish Pub.
Police believed at least one of the parties involved had been at a social function at Morrison's, beneath SkyCity Queenstown Casino, earlier in the evening, Mr Cook said.
Police were called to the taxi stand around 11.30pm last night after receiving a report of a man lying unconscious in the street.
Attempts by police, members of the public and ambulance staff to resuscitate Mr Smith failed.
The cause of death had not yet been established, Mr Cook said.
Liquor was involved, but "as to the level of intoxication, we'd just be speculating" until results of tests had been received.
Much of Camp Street was closed to both vehicles and pedestrians until late afternoon while police conducted a street scene examination.
Ironically, last night was the first shift for Queenstown's Community Guides, employed by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to be "a calming influence" on the CBD during the wee hours.
The guides will walk downtown streets Thursdays through to Saturdays from 9pm to 3am, and until 5am from Christmas through to March, to "enhance the sense that Queenstown is a safe place to be at night," QLDC community services director Paul Wilson said.
They will also help police monitor the new downtown liquor ban, which from December 10 bans alcohol in town centre streets or the Queenstown gardens from 10pm to 8am.
