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A string of high-end hotels and apartment complexes are planned for Queenstown as the resort enjoys its biggest building boom since the 1980s.
Multinational firms chasing the tourist dollar are flocking to the country's adventure capital.
Several developments are under way with more in the pipeline, with Mayor Clive Geddes putting the value of construction at $1 billion over the next five years.
The biggest is a complex being built at Kawarau Falls Station by Melview Developments.
The Quay West Resort Queenstown will have four hotels, including the 177-room Westin and 221-room InterContinental.
Melview's Klaus Sorensen said the project was "bigger than Ben Hur" and the hotel chains were "dying to get into Queenstown".
A 106-room, $60m Hilton should be ready for the Rugby World Cup and ongoing development at Jacks Pt is attracting attention here and overseas.
The 1214ha nature reserve on the shore of Lake Wakatipu has a near-complete golf course and will boast three hotels and 1500 homes.
Developer John Darby said the project had already cost close to $150m, but some of the 40 homes already built had sold for about $2m.
The boom has spread to the slopes, with the Coronet Peak skifield reopening on June 7 after a $20m upgrade to the base building. It has created a shortage of workers, with about 250 vacancies, mainly in hospitality, waiting to be filled.
