Well, you are partially getting it. One thing, people already come, they just don't stay because there's nothing to do. There's already a captive market so to speak that Staten Island doesn't benefit from, and it's already popular among tourist, and that's the ferry itself. Now there will be a reason for tourist to "get off the boat" so to speak.


Well, I disagree with you there. It will attract locals in the beginning, but that will only grow. New Yorkers or people from the area won't rush over just because its the "new thing to do". It's not a temporary attraction, it will be permanent one, and visitation will only increase in time. As a matter of fact, as is always the case, it will be an easier place to visit in the beginning because there will be less people.

Now, in addition to the regular riders and tourists on the ferry will be more tourists and new shoppers. I don't see how Staten Island can lose here, and I don't see your concerns.

Brief video...
http://mashable.com/2012/08/19/world...-for-new-york/

Wow. 600ft. That is one hell of a big wheel. If only it were a bit closer to the lower manhattan skyline.

is this wheel in new york just a rumor?

how will it compare to the wheels in vegas?
they are building 2 wheels

No they aren't. Las Vegas is only building one wheel which would be 500 feet tall. The Staten Island Wheel would be 600 feet tall, and it's proposed so it isn't a rumor.

^ Supposedly they were building two in Vegas, with one already under construction. Neither would be larger than this one though.



http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-ferris-wheel/

Staten Island Gets Lift With Talk of a Mall and a Ferris Wheel


http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...s2-blog480.jpg


By VIVIAN YEE
August 23, 2012

http://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories..._08_31_bk.html

Coney Island wants massive observation wheel

I am just posting it, not that I agree with it. I think that Staten Island is a better place for it.
Although as some commentators of that article said, for the wheel as a tourist attraction itself, it would be better placed either in NJ across the river or in Brooklyn Bridge Park. In the last case, it would bring astonishing views of the New York Skyline, The Brooklyn Downtown and Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Also the Wheel itself would offer an iconic view from Manhattan. That's for the views and the potential as a major tourist atraction, I also understand that one of the goals is to help develop Staten Island and draw tourist out of the typical places.

:previous: They can build Ferris wheels everywhere, I don't really care.

-
I think the best ground views of the city are from Weehawken or Green Point. But being so close to the skyline, you won't be able to see very far in the direction of all the tall buildings when you're on top of the Wheel. Meanwhile, from Staten Island there is enough distance from the city that the closer buildings don't block the further buildings. You'd also be able to see very far in most of the 360 degrees, which wouldn't be possible from the "Gold Coast" of NJ or BK+QNS.

I think Staten Island would be the perfect place for panoramas from 600 feet. This Wheel would be a great boon for the Island, and I would love to look out my window and see it every morning. Like I've said before, though, I think the investors may lose money on it.

I read an article on that in the Brooklyn Paper, where it was correctly pointed out that those are two different worlds. Having a Wonder Wheel in Coney Island is something completely different from this observation wheel, two different audiences. Amusement park crowds want a quick thrill. This will not be that.



http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf...ten_islan.html

Transformation of Staten Island waterfront could be coming soon

http://media.silive.com/latest_news/...6796-large.jpg

August 24, 2012
By Deborah Young



http://www.silive.com/northshore/ind...uhgedabou.html

Surrender The Wheel? Fuhgedaboudit, says Staten Island's beep

http://media.silive.com/northshore/p...7800-large.jpg

September 04, 2012
By Judy L. Randall

Oh wow. Those two apartment buildings up on the hill dominate the view from my bathroom and backyard. It would be pretty stunning to see this thing turning behind them every day.

The answers to those responses are so simple...

1) Why New Jersey? This is a New York Wheel. Whoever had this response must have been doing crack at 6 AM in the morning. New Jersey has nothing to do with New York nor does it give it the title. That kicks New Jersey out of the equation.

2) Brooklyn Bridge Park would be such a nice place. There are some big problems though. There isn't enough room for one, and it would dominate the tallest skyscrapers of Brooklyn. It would look weird and out of place. It is already bustling with tourists making it redundant so it can't go there either.

3) Coney Island can build a wheel with their own money. It seems to have enough money to do so so if they want a wheel tell them to build it themselves. Coney Island is already bustling with tourists, and it doesn't have a good view of the Manhattan skyline too making it even less likely to go there.

It shouldn't be underestimated how much of an icon this thing will be at 600 ft. There are times when size matters, and even if this doesn't remain the largest (it likely won't), it's of such size that it can't be ignored. It will be a visual anchor for that end of the harbor like the Manhattan skyline is for the other end, joining the Verrazanno Narrows as a symbol of Staten Island. It will be on postcards, in movies, videos, it will create it's own tourists base, in addition to the ferry's own tourists base. It will be something entirely new for New York, where its hard to create something entirely new. Let them build it, and watch the people come. :tup:



I read somewhere that the complete trip on the NY Wheel would be an hour or so. I'm not sure about that, but here's a comparison of some other wheels...

http://www.luxurylaunches.com/travel..._in_moscow.php

http://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_...on_Wheel_4.jpg

This wheel will be the new symbol the Staten Island. If I have well realized, it however will not be the the world's tallest wheel because the Beijing wheel is 208m.

:previous: It's not even conceived yet, let alone approved by the city council. This wheel could be bigger and taller than what both China and Russia got under their sleeves. And I like the design of the Moscow wheel. We should take that into consideration. Although the days of building the tallest buildings are quite over for New York, stuff like ferris wheels and bridges should still hold world records here, as always.

-
I think you may have misunderstood my original "complaints" about the wheel. I think it will be good for Staten Island, regardless. I'm just not convinced the investors will turn a profit, and I'm concerned that it may often be under-utilized and that would make me kind of sad. Like I said, I have no crystal ball, but comparing this to other observation wheels and their locations within their cities, the Staten Island proposal would be more off-center than it's predecessors. The Central Banks of the River Thames receive a larger percentage of it's cities visitors. Even Marina Bay in Singapore gets more traffic than Staten Island relative to the size of it's city, and I've looked for evidence that the investors of the Singapore Flyer have turned a profit and I have found nothing.

-
Nice diagram. The design for Moscow is incredible. It reminds me of the space ship from Contact.

I don't believe that one ever got completed, but if it has, yes it would be taller.



If you're worried about investors turning a profit, you shouldn't be. They're in it for a reason


But you still fail to understand the underlying reason it's being proposed where it is, and why the City is on board with it.

There is already a built-in base to draw from. But it will be an attraction of its own, generating it's own visitors and tourists alike.

The Moscow Wheel is amazing!!

-
Well I never said I was worried. Even if investors run out of funding and it ends up out of operation, or the city takes it over; I will still derive enjoyment from it, even if it would be a little sad. I'm merely discussing my thoughts on whether it will be a success in that matter.

I've taken the ferry over a thousand times, I'm well aware that there is a built in base of tourists, and it will be built within an urban area of 22ish million people (albeit in the 2nd/3rd "ring"). Understand that the majority of tourists spend their time in Manhattan, and that even with the ferry, St.George can not compete with central London for access to the tourist market. Considering that several of these observation wheels have faced economic troubles, it's something to consider.

Regardless, I hope you're right, and I'm glad the city is trying to spread the tourist love a little.

Well, let's just say you sound very concerned that something will go wrong.


Also understand that St. George is not intended to compete with Central London. That' is not the way it works. People stand in long lines for a simple trip to the Statue of Liberty, but you wouldn't say there's a lot to do on that island either. Listen, there's always a possibility that things can go wrong, but there is really no reason to believe things can't or won't go right as far as this development goes. New York City is not run by a bunch of amateurs, and I don't think anybody involved in this proposal is in it to lose money. And all would have far more concerns about it than you or I, so if it moves forward, you better believe it's because there's a pretty good chance of success here.