A Wanaka amusement park and entertainment centre has been proposed for a site opposite Wanaka Airport by the family trust of respected former Invercargill businessman Ross Young and his wife Judy.
The facility would contain an outdoor kart track, an indoor tenpin bowling alley and an outdoor bumper-boat pond.
It would be built on the corner of Mt Barker Rd and State Highway 6, immediately opposite another tourist facility, Have-A-Shot.
Ross and Judy Young have retired to Wanaka and the project is being managed by their son, Eamon Young, of Invercargill.
Ross Young was named as most admired business owner by the National Business Review in 2005.
Eamon Young was the former manager of Crown Sheet Metal in Invercargill and yesterday said he had been working on the trust's Wanaka proposal full-time for at least a year.
Crown Sheet Metal was founded by Ross Young in 1974 and sold to Hamilton-based sheet metal giant NDA Group in 2008.
Profile poles have already been erected on the site and the application will be advertised for public comment as soon as final details have been approved by Lakes Environmental.
Eamon Young said the project was interesting and as a keen karter, he wanted to bring a similar experience to Wanaka.
"We've been coming to Wanaka for as long as I can remember for holidays.
We just thought there is an opportunity there in the market ...
When the wind's up, it is not really boating weather.
People are looking for things to do," he said.
The trust felt lucky to have found a site near an existing node of commercial activities.
The centre was being put in the corner of the section closest to neighbours to appear part of that node, he said.
The resource consent application has been prepared by planner Dan Curley, of Vivian and Espie.
The 19.3ha site is about 9km south of town, zoned rural general and is grazed.
The zoning means a suite of discretionary consents is required.
There would be two buildings, including a bar and restaurant, an area for outdoor dining and a car park for 76 cars and two buses.
Outdoor areas would operate from 9am to 10pm, while the indoor areas would operate until midnight.
Access would be from Mt Barker Rd.
Once fully developed, the facility would provide Upper Clutha residents with a variety of commercial recreational activity options currently not on offer.
