Prime Minister John Key and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee on Monday released the design of the new central Christchurch area set out in the recovery plan.
Funding for the plan has still not been released and some property owners look likely to fight the Government as it seeks to compulsorily acquire land in the central city.
Property Council chief executive Connal Townsend said the council accepted the Crown had the power to compulsorily acquire land and it supported Mr Brownlee's desire to negotiate in the first instance.
Invest Christchurch is a new investment facilitation servicing operating within the Christchurch Central Development Unit of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
Mr Brownlee said the unit's initial focus would be the local and national investor, business and development communities.
An international investment marketing campaign would be launched in the fourth quarter of the year.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said the chamber had made its case a year to 18 months ago about the opportunities for Dunedin businesses in assisting the rebuilding.
So far, only the negative effects of the earthquakes had been felt in the South Island and business communities throughout the South were struggling because of the lack of progress in rebuilding.
The devastation of Christchurch had been far more pronounced than previously thought.
Tourism, manufacturing, suppliers, retailers and those in the service sector all had tales of woe and that had flowed on to the residential parts of the South, Mr Christie said.
Without successful businesses, employment, wages and salaries suffered.
Christchurch was such an integral part of the South Island's economic fortunes that it was important Otago companies participated in the rebuilding. Hundreds of millions of dollars from the Government, EQC and insurers would pour into the city and there was no reason why Otago firms should not receive some of that money, he said.
"We have to see Christchurch up and functioning as quickly as possible. It is a fundamental driver for economic growth, but we need to participate to get the maximum benefits for Dunedin.
"We have a close affinity with Christchurch and we want the best for them. But we should be able to participate without being seen as predatory. Anyone who can go up and make a dollar should not feel they are profiteering on the misfortune of Christchurch."
Most of the South had suffered some economic downturn because of the Christchurch earthquakes and those affected businesses had the chance to recoup some of their losses, Mr Christie said.
Dunedin City Council economic development manager Peter Harris said there was a willingness in Christchurch to engage with Dunedin businesses in the rebuilding.
The council had contracted Graham Williams to the economic development unit to identify business opportunities and liaise with Dunedin and Christchurch businesses. Funding had been approved for two years for Mr Williams, who worked directly with the unit.
While there was a focus on construction, the wider debate had started about other services and personnel needed in Christchurch, including highly skilled information technology and manufacturing workers.
"IT people from Christchurch are very positive about working with our IT industry. People need to think beyond construction."
Mr Christie said it was inevitable that Dunedin would lose some self-employed trades people to Christchurch as they identified business opportunities. But he was confident larger firms would send teams of people to the city to work rather than relocating.
He also hoped more Christchurch people would identify their long-term future as being in Dunedin.
BusinessNZ chief executive Phil O'Reilly said private investors, being sought now, were likely to provide the bulk of the investment for the new development. There would be a need for coming negotiations between parties to maximise business engagement.
"Governance arrangements that are fit for purpose are required so that business is treated fairly in the process and is best able to contribute to the development," he said.
