In a public-excluded section of Thursday’s full Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting, councillors approved a report recommending the project progress to the second phase of the procurement process.
The council said it was discussed in private due to "commercial sensitivity".
Twenty-two expressions of interest from a mixture of domestic and international companies were whittled down to a shortlist of four.
Those developers will be required to submit development proposals.In a statement Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult said the submissions received "demonstrated strong capability and seemed to fully understand the unique Queenstown context".
"I believe that speaks to a potentially very positive outcome for the new Lakeview Precinct and the Queenstown community.
"What we want to see next in the process is a formal design proposal and commercial offer from each of the selected developers that reflects council’s objectives."
A preferred developer will be determined following the evaluation and approval of development proposals.In October last year councillors unanimously voted to proceed with a recommendation that meant 7.7ha, or about three-quarters, of the prime Lakeview land would remain in community ownership.
Of the remaining 4.4ha of commercial land on the site, 3.4ha — 2.7ha under freehold interest and 0.7ha under prepaid leasehold interest — will be made available for development in partnership with the private sector.
The council had proposed building a $60 million convention centre on the site, but it was put on hold due to a $27m funding shortfall. In November the council notified its intention to lease some of the land to Ngai Tahu Tourism to develop and operate a "high-quality, premium hot pool and day spa facility".
