The largest Ferris wheel in the entire world is coming to New York City. The creatively named “New York Wheel” will stand 625 feet tall and carry up to 1,440 people per ride, starting, hopefully, by the end of 2015. In addition to magical views, city officials hope that the New York Wheel will produce a magical feat of tourism: convincing out-of-towners to stay overnight in Staten Island.
“It’s a game-changer for Staten Island,” said Borough President James P. Molinaro. “We’ve gone from having the world’s biggest dump to having the world’s biggest wheel.” …
With a hotel complex as part of the development plan, he said Wheel visitors would stay on the Island and visit other attractions, such as Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, the Staten Island Zoo and Conference House.
They didn’t come right out and say it, but we’re assuming that “unforeseen ferry service disruptions” is an integral part of this plan.
