In just seven months Coronet Peak's base building has been almost completely demolished and rebuilt, part of a $30 million summer upgrade on the mountain.
While the new base building is staying strictly under wraps until Saturday, when the mountain opens for the 2008 season with a 60cm natural-snow base already in place, word from the insiders is the public will be impressed.
Coronet's assistant ski area manager Nick Edwards said while it may look to those not in the know as if it's just a building, the reality was it was a "futuristic building" and one that's been "built ahead of its time".
"It's a big step for New Zealand and a big step for the ski industry. We're now really competing against the world.
"It's been a very intensive project - our snow-making [capacity] is one of the most technologically advanced in the world and . . . the base building would rival any base building anywhere in the world."
Additional space, an industrial kitchen, new deck area and entrance may serve to make it look nice and have practical requirements, but the real magic was in the future-proofing, Mr Edwards said.
"There's a large amount of future-proofing built into it.
"If we decided to move to sustainable fuels, biodiesel and things like that, we can.
"It's a 17-month project built in seven months.
Because of the limitations on the mountain, it's an impressive effort and I think the board, Arrow Construction, James Coddington and Hamish McCrostie, should be congratulated for their work, how they've completed this project and really building something we can change over the future and we can change quite easily with it."
While the official opening ceremony of the new building will be held over the weekend of June 28 and 29, coinciding with the opening weekend of the 2008 American Express Winter Festival, there would be no construction site on the mountain on Saturday and Mr Edwards was keen to see the reaction from the first users.
"Everyone who visits this . . . will be flabbergasted at the facilities, really amazed."
The opening "extravaganza" will include celebrating the official opening of the new building and a special firing of the new state-of-the-art snowguns.
NZSki chief executive James Coddington said the events were designed to bring the local and visiting community together to celebrate the massive development project, which was expected to deliver economic benefits across the region.
An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will start festivities on June 28 at 1pm. Everyone was invited and complimentary tea and coffee would be served on the deck of the new building.
Discounts of 50% off everything - except season passes, multiday products, alcohol, private lessons and retail - would apply all day, or while stocks lasted, to encourage the whole community to come up and celebrate the biggest development since the inception of the ski area, Mr Coddington said.
"This development has been made possible through a huge effort from the Queenstown community.
"In just seven months we have constructed a world-class base area and installed the world's most sophisticated snow-making system.
"Many people and organisations in Queenstown have been part of this effort and we want to thank the entire community for its support over the past months," he said.
"It's important to us that as many people as possible come and experience what has been created in our backyard."
June 28 has been labelled "Party at the Peak" and would start "late afternoon" carrying on into the evening with special night skiing and a phenomenal entertainment line up, featuring Kiwi blues legend Midge Marsden, Queenstown's Master Blasters and NZ rockers Goodnight Nurse.
Limited free transport will be available to and from The Station Building, Queenstown to Coronet Peak for Saturday's official ribbon-cutting, leaving at 10am and returning at 2pm on a "first-come, first-served" basis.
Other bus services will operate as per normal schedules and fares.
