A ‘business improvement district’ is in the works for Queenstown.
Town Centre Development Group consultant Karen Remetis (pictured), who’s worked in economic development for 30 years, plans to visit the resort next month to work with the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce and council to establish an improvement district here.
Remetis says the goal’s to have the improvement district become an independently-funded business association, which represents the sector’s interests, achieving tangible results.
That’s usually funded through a targeted rate, she says.
‘‘Rather than it being an organisation that has to go out begging for money every year,
or on a voluntary basis, it would be established with an income stream and that’s up for
discussion about how that happens.
“There’s so much to be done.
‘‘Sometimes, you’ve just got to deal with some hard things, and we’ll be up for that.’’
Previously, Queenstown’s CBD interests were represented by town centre lobby group, DowntownQT, headed up by former Queenstowner Steve Wilde.
Established in 2015, it was wound up by the Chamber board in June, 2019.
