4 | T T Kim Bowden New chapter for Queenstown tourism “Skyline started with a simple idea in the 1960s — to build a gondola up Bob’s Peak so more people could enjoy the view…” Skyline Enterprises - Queenstown: Naylor Love - Queenstown Gondola REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T to page 6 Skyline Queenstown’s newest hilltop building is now open, shifting visitors into a five-level extension as work begins on the final stage of a $300 million redevelopment of one of New Zealand’s most recognisable tourism attractions. Since mid-March, visitors stepping out of the gondola at the top of Bob’s Peak have found a markedly different arrival experience. Where they once walked straight into the original complex, they are now guided via a covered walkway into a glass-fronted extension that houses a café and bar, a grab-and-go deli, a gelato bar, and a redesigned Stratosfare Restaurant. Proudly partnering with Naylor Love to supply structural steel on the Skyline Queenstown Gondola project www.pinnacleresources.co.nz Contact us to talk about your next structural steel project. STRUCTURAL STEEL | ARCHITECTURAL STEELWORK Proud to be partnering with Naylor Love nationwide to deliver award-winning projects on time, every time. 0800 334 567 | www.gartshore.co.nz Your Trusted Civil Contracting Partner Beaver Contractors PO Box 514 QUEENSTOWN Phone: 03 442 2331 Project construction lead Steve McLean says the switchover from old to new was effectively an overnight operation. “If you came up the gondola one day, you would have walked into the old building,” he says. “If you came up the very next day, you would have walked along a covered walkway, past what we’re going to be deconstructing, and into a new building.” The newly opened extension, which cost $58m and opened on March 16, marks a major milestone in the long-running redevelopment scheduled for completion in early 2029. Skyline Enterprises’ Chief Executive Geoff McDonald says the opening reflects the company’s long-term commitment to Queenstown. “Skyline started with a simple idea in the 1960s — to build a gondola up Bob’s Peak so more people could enjoy the view,” he says. “Nearly 60 years on, that same commitment drives everything we do. This building is the next chapter in that story, and it’s one we’re proud to deliver for Queenstown.” Geoff describes the project as the most complex in Skyline’s history. “It hasn’t been straightforward, but this upgrade is something the community can enjoy for generations to come,” he says. The site, steep, forested and perched high above Queenstown’s CBD, has demanded extensive geotechnical work — rock anchoring, bolting and stabilisation — all while protecting the existing luge track and other attractions.
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