The quick solution or ''silver bullet'' to building the proposed $50 million Queenstown convention centre, from the Queenstown Lakes District Council's perspective, would be to have SkyCity involved, council chief executive Adam Feeley said yesterday.
Just as the Queenstown Lakes District Council-led convention centre proposal creeps forward, the developer behind the resort's second planned centre is also making moves.
SkyCity Entertainment shares were sold down yesterday after the company disappointed investors with a lower than expected profit announcement.
SkyCity says it has been "victimised" in the debate over the $400 million International Convention Centre deal, but a law change to allow increased gambling has the potential to go ahead.
Public opinion has turned against the Government's SkyCity international convention centre deal just days before it is due to be signed off, allowing for 230 extra poker machines at the downtown Auckland casino.
The Department of Internal Affairs has warned the Government that extra pokie machines at SkyCity, resulting from its convention centre deal, risk increased harm to the community, Steven Joyce confirmed yesterday.
SkyCity is about to embark on unprecedented spending as it prepares to build the New Zealand International Convention Centre and upgrade its Adelaide casino, Morningstar analyst Nachi Moghe says.
The Government is likely to move into urgency to pass legislation allowing SkyCity Entertainment to build a $402 million convention centre in Auckland in exchange for concessions to its gambling operations.
New surveillance equipment will be installed at SkyCity's Queenstown and Auckland casinos which will allow Auckland surveillance staff to remotely access Queenstown surveillance cameras, now that it has received permission from the Gambling Commission.
Mr Fix-it has become Mr Fudge-it. It was National's good fortune this week that the Minister of Economic Development also happens to be National's unofficial Minister of Damage Control.
TVNZ says it has had no approach from SkyCity to buy its land for the proposed convention centre, contrary to the Prime Minister's assurances to Parliament yesterday.
Players involved in the proposed convention centre project for Queenstown are staying tight-lipped about the parties who want to be involved and how it might be funded.
SkyCity has confirmed plans to increase floor space at its Auckland casino as it seeks Government approval for more gaming machines in return for building a $350 million national convention centre.
SkyCity Queenstown Casino is hosting poker players from around the world for the fourth season of the Pokerstars.net NZPT Queenstown SkyCity Snowfest until Sunday.
One of New Zealand's largest banks is being sued after a fraudster cashed cheques for tens of thousands of dollars at a branch inside SkyCity casino without red flags being raised.
Labour leader David Shearer has accused the Government of "extraordinary arrogance" for refusing to halt negotiations with SkyCity over an international convention centre while an investigation into how the deal was brokered is held.
The South Island would benefit from visitors to the SkyCity Convention Centre, which could be linked to proposed convention centres in Queenstown and Christchurch, the Prime Minister says.
SkyCity's shareholders were told of close ties to "high ranking'' Cabinet ministers five days before Prime Minister John Key invited the company to bid to build the new national convention centre.
The National Party has confirmed it paid in full when it used the SkyCity Convention Centre on election night and other occasions.
Prime Minister John Key has confirmed he made the offer to SkyCity allowing the casino to have more pokie machines in return for building a multimillion-dollar convention centre in Auckland.
