Mr Lewers said a new regional deal for the "Otago Central Lakes" sub-region of Otago was expected to be signed by October next year.
Once in place, the deal with central government could enable a range of new projects — new housing, a new hospital for the area and new mass rapid transit.
"What it’s doing is it’s actually using the value uplift that we create through tourism and our visitor economy to actually provide much-needed infrastructure for the people of the two districts [Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago]," Mr Lewers said.
Mr Lewers said regional deals were not about putting specific projects in place.
"It’s more about creating a system where the private equity can be ... injected quickly to make the project happen sooner rather than later."
However, when asked yesterday if he was confident a gondola was now on the horizon for Queenstown, he said he was.
"Look, a lot of work’s been put into that.
"There’s got to be some work on how the existing public transport system connects into it.
"But apart from that, it’s all good."
The Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago district councils, along with the Otago Regional Council, won the right to negotiate a new 10-year partnership with central government designed to progress shared priorities.
Under the name Otago Central Lakes, the three councils submitted their "light-touch" proposal to the Department of Internal Affairs in February.
Yesterday, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts announced that the Otago Central Lakes along with Auckland and the Western Bay of Plenty had been the first three regions to sign memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enter negotiations on the government’s new regional deals.
The Otago Central Lakes proposal for transport said a range of non-traditional planning, funding and financing tools could be used to deliver transport projects.
These included private sector financing, public-private partnerships, congestion charges, tolls to fund infrastructure such as bridges and local visitor user charges as well as an international visitor levy.
Mr Lewers said "a fair bit of work" had already been done to see how congestion charges, or road user tolls, might be implemented in Queenstown, but more was required to ensure they would not create unintended consequences.
"A big part of our pitch across the sub-region was actually improving healthcare and access to healthcare for the people of Central Otago and Upper Clutha, Queenstown," Mr Lewers said.
"We’ve got, again, motivated private equity that want to help the government out by building the physical infrastructure and let the public health system do what they do best, and that’s deliver services and not worry about bricks and mortar and buildings and property.
"It perfectly aligns with the thinking of this government, and it is a well-tested model in Australia."
Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley said regional deals were meant to be a long-term view across the challenges facing regions rather than an election cycle.
Otago Regional Council chairwoman Cr Gretchen Robertson said it was too early to say which specific proposals from the light touch proposal would make it through negotiations.
"Those conversations are just beginning, and the contents of the final deal will be carefully worked through in the months ahead.
"But it’s hugely positive to be at the table, and a fantastic opportunity for Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago." — Additional reporting Tracey Roxburgh and Julie Asher
