$30m Lotto winner may be local
Taupo’s mayor has a message for the owner of the unclaimed $30 million Lotto ticket bought there last weekend: “Come out wherever you are.” The prize was won on Saturday by a ticket bought from Richmond Superette in Taupo, but so far nobody has claimed the huge prize.
Mayor David Trewavas believes it may be a local that’s won the big money, as the superette the ticket was sold at is not in a spot frequented by tourists. “On top of that, there were no big events on last week that may have drawn in many tourists.”
Trewavas bought a ticket himself, but was not the lucky winner. He said $30m could get someone quite a long way in Taupo.
With that kind of money, the winner could buy a motel
On top of that, there were no big events on last week that may have drawn in many tourists. Taupo mayor David Trewavas
or hotel complex, a bungee jump operation, a jet boat operation, “a nice big boat”, and a lakeside home — and hopefully leave a little change.
But Trewavas hoped the winner might fund projects about town, such as upsizing the event centre or upgrading the Great Lakes Centre.
Huka Lodge spokeswoman Jane Corbett-Jones said someone wanting to spend up large could grab a group of friends and stay at the Lodge’s Owner’s Cottage.
For a fun time with seven friends, the price could be more than $14,000 a night in the most expensive season — barely a dent in $30m.
“You can have your own private chef on hand to whip up a five-course celebration degustation menu nightly,” Corbett-Jones said.
The group could then take a helicopter ride over Tongariro National Park, the geothermal valley of Wai-O-Tapu, the sacred Mt Tarawera summit, and White Island.
“Back at the Lodge over the next day or two, shout your friends to a few rounds at any of the nearby international golf courses, charter your own boat for world-class fly-fishing on Lake Taupo, take over the tennis or petanque courts or just grab the keys to an Aston Martin or Lamborghini, which the Lodge can arrange, and take off for a spin to dream about how you’ll spend your change,” she said.