Five holes on Queenstown Airport Corporation-owned land at the Frankton golf course are under threat after it was revealed the corporation wants to build an $8 million airport taxiway between 2012 and 2015.
"We knew the airport owned the land, but the surprise was we were told by a third party the airport were looking to get the land between 2012 and 2015 - we were surprised that in discussion with council, that was never mentioned," Queenstown Golf Club chief executive Michael Shattock said.
"The Events Centre masterplan will be put into jeopardy by the airport expansion and you would have thought council may have mentioned it in our discussions when we were debating either the retention of golf or other sporting uses on golf-course land."
Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson announced the proposal when questioned by a councillor at a Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) finance and corporate accountability committee meeting last week, but council failed to comment.
The council holds the lease on the land, which is also used by Lakes Leisure, and Mr Shattock will meet council chief executive Debra Lawson next week.
The 10ha encompasses holes four to eight at the nine-hole Frankton course, and is under airport designation, which means the corporation can go ahead with the project as of right.
The lease on the course expires in 2012 and club management and supporters recently collected a 5000-signature petition to save the 80-year-old course.
