A $15 million skydiving simulator is planned near Queenstown's Skyline gondola and if built, will be New Zealand's first skydiving wind tunnel.
The project is a joint venture between SkyVenture International, which manufactures iFLY wind tunnels, and Auckland couple Emma and Gary Beyer.
IFLY Indoor Skydiving NZ managing director Ms Beyer said it took two years to find the right Queenstown location.
She believed their chosen site, beside the Caddyshack City mini-golf course on Brecon St, was ''absolutely perfect''.
It is on the tourism corridor to the gondola, which takes in two mini-golf courses and the Kiwi Birdlife Park, and close to Queenstown's CBD.
''It means that people can come to it very easily ... and it doesn't matter what the weather's doing.''
Ms Beyer was on the British skydiving team that won the 2006 world champs, while her husband is a former world and US champion.
The unique building design was drawn up by local firm Walker Commercial Architects partner Simon Adnitt.
Clients float on a column of air rising five metres above the ground.
Ms Beyer expected to employ about 24 staff, including 14 highly-trained instructors.
Depending on how long the resource consent process takes, she says iFLY could be flying clients by the end of next year.
- By Philip Chandler at Mountain Scene
