The City that Never Sleeps just got another toy…The world’s largest observation wheel has opened in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas High Roller wheel began boarding passengers this past week for a 30-minute breathtaking view of Las Vegas. The trip includes a video and music presentation before letting the views do the rest of the work. The vital statistics of the Ferris Wheel are 55o feet making it 100 feet taller than the London Eye. It can seat up to 40 people.
Don’t expect it to be the tallest Ferris Wheel for long. There are plans for a 630-foot observation wheel for the New York Wheel in Staten Island while Dubai’s Eye is expected to reach 690 feet high. Both are anticipated to launch in 2016. The Las Vegas Wheel is now the centerpiece of a new dining and entertainment strip, The Linq, on the strip. It’ll be open 365 days a year and costs $25 to ride.
Personally we still love the old Ferris Wheel in Coney Island. Do you know that thing’s been going strong for nearly 100 years without incident? That’s right, not one incident. Truth be told it’s still kind of scary to go in that thing but a memorable experience nonetheless.
Then again, something tells me that the Ferris Wheel in Vegas and what they have lined up in NYC might make the classic Coney Island wheel look like a little play toy. But we can’t help but to love the classics.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
