Las Vegas Ferris wheel nears completion
September 9, 2013
http://www.dailymail.com/Entertainment/201309090117
Las Vegas Ferris wheel nears completion
by The Associated Press
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS - The madcap carnival on the Las Vegas Strip is getting another over-the-top
addition: the world's largest Ferris wheel.
The outer wheel of the 55-story High Roller ride is scheduled to be hoisted into place Tuesday .
The gargantuan project is now visible from all over the city , including the airport. Early next
year, it will be outfitted with 1 ,500 LED lights, and start its slow spin.
"It's going to be an icon," Project Director David Codiga said. "It's going to be a part of your
visit to Las Vegas if you ride it or not. It's more or less impossible not to see it if you come
here."
Caesars Entertainment Corp., which owns more casinos than any other U.S. gambling
company , is building the ride as part of its $550 million Linq development, a new outdoor
plaza across the street from Caesars Palace.
The walking mall, sandwiched between the Flamingo and Harrah's hotel-casino, is expected to
open this winter. It's designed to lure Gen Xers and millennials, demographics Caesars
believes will contribute a majority of Sin City tourist dollars by 2015.
City after city has jumped to put a new spin on the classic carnival attraction over the past
decade.
The High Roller will be 100 feet taller than the London Ey e, which opened in 2000, 30 feet
taller than China's Star of Nanchang, which opened in 2006, and 9 feet taller than the
Singapore Fly er, which opened in 2008.
These giant urban Ferris wheels typically transport riders in large, fixed capsules instead of
the smaller, teetering baskets most people remember from childhood.
High Roller riders will have to take a break from gambling and smoking when they enter one of
the 28 glass capsules attached to the gargantuan wheel, Codiga said, but they will be able to
take in the marquee-lit panoramic views with a drink in hand.
The wheel, which has been under construction since 201 1 , is taller than the Bellagio hotelcasino but still dwarfed by the Stratosphere observation tower, which rises more than 1 ,000
feet. It will carry 3.5 million pounds of steel - the equivalent of about 200 Hummers - and will
take 30 minutes to make one revolution.
And, because this is Las Vegas where overstimulation is the sales pitch, it will feature
audiovisual shows in each 40-person pod designed to complement the views.
Codiga, who previously worked for the theme park company Universal Studios, said he doesn't
want visitors to get bored as the ride ascends and descends.
http://www.dailymail.com/Entertainment/201309090117
Las Vegas Ferris wheel nears completion
by The Associated Press
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS - The madcap carnival on the Las Vegas Strip is getting another over-the-top
addition: the world's largest Ferris wheel.
The outer wheel of the 55-story High Roller ride is scheduled to be hoisted into place Tuesday .
The gargantuan project is now visible from all over the city , including the airport. Early next
year, it will be outfitted with 1 ,500 LED lights, and start its slow spin.
"It's going to be an icon," Project Director David Codiga said. "It's going to be a part of your
visit to Las Vegas if you ride it or not. It's more or less impossible not to see it if you come
here."
Caesars Entertainment Corp., which owns more casinos than any other U.S. gambling
company , is building the ride as part of its $550 million Linq development, a new outdoor
plaza across the street from Caesars Palace.
The walking mall, sandwiched between the Flamingo and Harrah's hotel-casino, is expected to
open this winter. It's designed to lure Gen Xers and millennials, demographics Caesars
believes will contribute a majority of Sin City tourist dollars by 2015.
City after city has jumped to put a new spin on the classic carnival attraction over the past
decade.
The High Roller will be 100 feet taller than the London Ey e, which opened in 2000, 30 feet
taller than China's Star of Nanchang, which opened in 2006, and 9 feet taller than the
Singapore Fly er, which opened in 2008.
These giant urban Ferris wheels typically transport riders in large, fixed capsules instead of
the smaller, teetering baskets most people remember from childhood.
High Roller riders will have to take a break from gambling and smoking when they enter one of
the 28 glass capsules attached to the gargantuan wheel, Codiga said, but they will be able to
take in the marquee-lit panoramic views with a drink in hand.
The wheel, which has been under construction since 201 1 , is taller than the Bellagio hotelcasino but still dwarfed by the Stratosphere observation tower, which rises more than 1 ,000
feet. It will carry 3.5 million pounds of steel - the equivalent of about 200 Hummers - and will
take 30 minutes to make one revolution.
And, because this is Las Vegas where overstimulation is the sales pitch, it will feature
audiovisual shows in each 40-person pod designed to complement the views.
Codiga, who previously worked for the theme park company Universal Studios, said he doesn't
want visitors to get bored as the ride ascends and descends.
