Staten Island will soon be home to the world’s largest ferris wheel, surpassing Singapore’s current record-holder, the Singapore Flyer:
The New York Wheel will stand at about 625 feet tall, ending the reign of the 541-foot Flyer. The huge wheel will tower over the Staten Island ferry terminal, with views across the bay to Manhattan. Gothamist reports that Mayor Bloomberg called the plan “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for economic development” and promised that it would be “an attraction unlike any other in New York City an unlike any other on the planet.”
Here’s what you should know:
1. The Ferris Wheel is Called “The New York Wheel”
2. It will Fill a Patch of Land in the St. George area of Staten Island
3. It’s Planned as Part of a Retail and Hotel Complex Along the Waterfront
4. It’s Larger Than the London Eye, the Planned Las Vegas Wheel High Roller, and the Singapore Flyer
5. It Will Rival Coney Island’s “Wonder Wheel”
6. Construction Will Begin Early 2014, with e Grand Opening at the End of 2015
7. It Will cCost $230 million
8. The Project Will Bring in $500 Million in Private Investment to the St. George Waterfront
9. NYC is Using Starneth, the Same Engineering Company That Built The London Eye
10. It’s Expected to Carry 4.5 Million Riders a Year