A new entertainment centre in Queenstown is giving the beleaguered tourist town a big boost as international tourists start to trickle back into the country.
The 3000sqm complex has been opened by entertainment centre company Kingpin and includes ten-pin bowling, private karaoke rooms, pool, table tennis, cutting-edge virtual reality experiences and more than 120 arcade games.
Belinda Falzon, Kingpin's chief operations officer says the centre, the first opened in New Zealand by the Australian-based company, has panoramic views over Lake Whakatipu, the Skyline Gondola and central Queenstown.
"The centre has a unique upmarket concept in which guests can engineer their own fun whether they try their hand at bowling, race the clock in one of two escape rooms, sing their heart out at karaoke or immerse themselves in virtual reality," she says.
It has a winners vault stocked with high-quality branded and original prizes, cafe, artisan creperie, milk bar and two outdoor relaxation zones with fireplaces and lounge-style seating.
Guests will even be welcomed by Prince Harry on arrival and get to share a drink with the Queen in the upstairs bar - well their royalty-inspired murals designed by street artist Component that is. Other creative designs include a 100-panel screen sporting a flaming dragon.
Falzon says Kingpin Queenstown also has an expansive cocktail bar with a menu created in collaboration with established chefs and which uses high-quality local ingredients along with a premium dessert menu is also available. Private rooms are also available for parties and corporate events.
Designed by award-winning architects, Guru Projects, Kingpin Queenstown exudes a luxury ski-lodge aesthetic inspired by its alpine surroundings.
Falzon says Queenstown is one of her all-time favourite destinations.
"I've participated in most of the outdoor, and indoor, activities over the years, and I've created some incredible memories " she says. "But I wanted to provide a new type of indoor fun, that everyone can enjoy and I'm sure Kingpin will be a place people will want to put on their trip planner and likely more than once."
Although international tourists are expected to start coming back to Queenstown with the border re-opening, Falzon says the venue was built with Queenstown and the community also in mind.
"We wanted to create a destination that felt like a luxury ski lodge, but we also made sure it was a place where locals could enjoy a game of darts over a beer."
Kingpin is part of TEEG, the international entertainment and education group. TEEG recently acquired the international business of Timezone Group which operates over 300 family entertainment centres across the Asia Pacific region.
To celebrate the new venue, Kingpin is offering people the chance experience it for themselves.
The prize includes:
- Return domestic airfares for two
- 3 nights accommodation
- Food, drinks & cocktails at Kingpin Queenstown
- Dinner at El Camino & The Bavarian
- Unlimited activities
- $150 arcade credit
- Car Hire
To enter, complete the form on the Kingpin website stating in 50 words or less why you should be picked as the winner. Enter here: www.kingpinplay.com/en-nz/win-a-trip-to-queenstown
Some of Kingpin Queenstown's attractions include:
- Bowling Lanes - With advanced lane projection bowling, the Kingpin lanes take classic bowling to the next level. Visitors can personalise their scores, share them on Facebook, talk to other lanes, and order food and drinks directly to their lane.
- Escape Rooms - The Cryptology escape rooms will have guests sharpening their wits and putting their teamwork to the test to solve puzzles and crack the codes to complete their mission before the time runs out.
- Arcade Games - Kingpin features a selection of some of the latest and greatest arcade machines. Guests can lap their mates on the classic driving simulator Daytona, or test their skills on Mega Stacker or Maxi-Claw. Once guests are done collecting tickets, they can redeem them for the freshest gadgets in the winners vault.
- Virtual Reality - Kingpin invests in the most innovative and immersive VR games on the market, so guests can experience hyper-realistic simulations and run, fight, explore, and play in a host of new realities.
- Private Karaoke Rooms - Complete with the latest karaoke technology, the private karaoke rooms offer extensive playlists that are updated monthly with all the latest as well as classic hits.
For more information on Kingpin go to: https://www.kingpinplay.com/en-nz