New entertainment centre planned for Taupō

The Landing, a new all-weather family entertainment centre is planned near the Taupō Airport roundabout.

Still a kid at heart, a Taupō developer is bringing a new family entertainment centre to town.

Big Ball Holdings Ltd owner/developer Jamie Keehan is about to build The Landing, a family entertainment centre at the State Highway 1 roundabout near Taupō Airport.

Inspired by a theme park amusement expo in Florida, the main building The Drop Zone will include a 10 pin bowling lane with the latest projection technology, four lanes of kids' mini bowling, arcade games, a virtual reality experience, a trampoline park, a dodgeball court, a kids' fun zone for under sevens set on three levels, and a feature area where the entertainment varies between a ninja course, an ice-skating rink, dodgem cars and a new multi ball concept.

Other facilities include a 90-seat cafe with an outdoor garden setting, a Central Plateau themed mini golf and adventure course, a real fruit icecream parlour, toilets, showers and laundromat for campers, panic rooms and team building facility, conference and function rooms and a 130 seat aviation-themed restaurant and garden bar.

Over the years Jamie has listened to parents and young people complain about the lack of all-weather fun activities, so he decided to do something for the families of Taupō. He says it seems most people had to travel out of town to experience these venues.

Big Ball Holdings Ltd will retain overall management to ensure a sustainable business model. Jamie was keen to involve other Taupō business people with proven success to lease and manage the restaurant and cafe. He says returning customers are essential as Taupō is still a small town for a business of this scale.

"The idea is to run each business as non-competing and complementary. Staff will be shared between businesses and there will be lower overheads to ensure an experience that is affordable and first class," says Jamie.

A big kid at heart, developer Jamie Keehan (centre) with his advisers and two children Kayla and Joey Keehan.

To make the business model work, Jamie says there is something for tourists, travellers and something for locals.

With a sale and purchase agreement in place with landowners Taupō District Council, Jamie says the vendors wanted something special for this piece of land. He pitched his idea to a full council meeting, and was thrilled his concept was chosen.

The Landing will be located near Taupō Airport.

"The council [vendor] wanted something that recognised the location as the southern gateway to the town so they were very particular about what went where."

Jamie says he enjoyed working with Destination Great Lake Taupō to develop a business model that will promote the town.

"We often hear people moaning about Taupō District Council, but I was really pleased to see how they have the best interests of our town at heart."

He says visitors are mainly concentrated in town, and The Landing is a destination that people will have to travel to.

"Instead of travelling to Rotorua, hopefully people will come to a Taupō entertainment centre."

The whole centre is expected to be completed by late November this year, and Jamie says when up and running will employ 40 to 50 people.

"We will be looking for employees from senior managers to teen seasonal workers."

Jamie says he is working in partnership with his 'consultant' teenage children Kayla and Joey Keehan.

"They scrutinise everything to make sure it's going to appeal to their friends."

Jamie is particularly excited about the mini golf course that has a Central Plateau theme, with each hole having an interactive local attraction or natural feature.

"There will be scale size Lake Taupō with fountains that dance to music. There will be 3m high mountains, flowing rivers and steam fields. So your golf ball will drop out of a skydiving plane, or be picked up by a ski lift and dropped down a snow-covered Mt Ruapehu. The idea is travellers will play mini golf and then go and try out the actual attraction."

Jamie says the development will also provide a travel experience for nearby campers.

"Freedom campers can walk up from Five Mile Bay and from the Motor Home Association park at the airport. They can have a feed, use the laundromat and have a shower. Then they can stay and enjoy the entertainment venue which will be open till 10pm each night."

Taupō mayor David Trewavas says the new development is exciting for the district, with kids, senior citizens and tourists having so much more to do.

"The families in the district have been calling out for activities for all ages especially 10 pin bowling and the like during winter and wet weather days."

He says keeping all the money in the district will have huge benefits.

"Jamie is a local developer with a fantastic track record and the development will create local jobs and use local contractors where possible."