AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics - Page 184

ILUVSAT · #**3661** Posted **Aug 30, 2023, 9:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Why do the High Roller in Las Vegas and the Singapore Flyer in Singapore work.

Oh my goodness - who are you?

Observation towers and ferris wheels are gimmicks. Located in places that are desperate (or rely heavily on) tourism to bulk up their respective economies.

Please, just quit. There will be no observation tower or ferris wheel on/in any COA park. The SOS Alliance has already killed a plan for the redevelopment of Zilker (an urban park) because it was going to be too touristy.

Anyone who tried to market a city park as a tourist destination is going to get slaughtered.

Echostatic · #**3662** Posted **Aug 30, 2023, 10:11 PM**

You can't convince a hurricane to stop blowing. In much the same way, you can't convince ArchGuy1 that a observation tower doesn't make sense. Let it be.

GoldenBoot · #**3663** Posted **Aug 30, 2023, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

The FAA does not actually have the authority to prevent a structure that it deems a hazard to aircraft from being built. However, if one were to be built against the FAA's determination, there would be a huge amount of liability in the event of an incident involving such a structure.

That is very true. Which is why cities don't regularly approve anything against the FAA's determination. Doing so, as you have summarized, would result in insurance costs too high to make most commercial developments viable. I would suspect that it would make an observation tower or ferris wheel (of substantive height) cost prohibitive on this site.

We vs us · #**3664** Posted **Aug 30, 2023, 11:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

No. Never. Not at all. I'm not trying to be rude, but I am curious about your acute interest in observation towers and Ferris wheels. You have been posting about it and nothing else for years on SSP and SSC in threads in cities all over the world. Most of us here have an abnormal interest in skyscrapers.

But why do you care so much about observation towers? You can't possible visit all the ones you hope to see happen.

Riverranchdrone · #**3665** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 12:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Would the Downtown area of Austin be a good location for a large ferris wheel, whether it is 500 or 900 feet tall.

Downtown would be better for a Ferris Wheel. The Expo Center is flat and not worth seeing out there anyways. With flight path of ABIA, I would think a 500 footer would push the limits. I recently posted pictures from the Oasis. People are sad that it got so touristy. I say add on to it. Have some rides that hang over the cliff side. Even a ferris wheel or something else right next to the edge. Would never happen though. I do wish if Austin gets something, that it would be uniqe. Every city has a ferris wheel.

ArchGuy1 · #**3666** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

Downtown would be better for a Ferris Wheel. The Expo Center is flat and not worth seeing out there anyways. With flight path of ABIA, I would think a 500 footer would push the limits. I recently posted pictures from the Oasis. People are sad that it got so touristy. I say add on to it. Have some rides that hang over the cliff side. Even a ferris wheel or something else right next to the edge. Would never happen though. I do wish if Austin gets something, that it would be uniqe. Every city has a ferris wheel.

A ferris wheel with double decker capsules and a height of 886 feet would possibly work for Downtown Austin. A ferris wheel similar to this was proposed for some city in Japan back in 2013. Now that would actually be unique. A ferris wheel twice the height of the London Eye with double decker capsules would actually be the second tallest structure Downtown behind the under construction Waterline skyscraper.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nippon-moon-giant-wheel

SproutingTowers · #**3667** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 4:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

A ferris wheel with double decker capsules and a height of 886 feet would possibly work for Downtown Austin. A ferris wheel similar to this was proposed for some city in Japan back in 2013. Now that would actually be unique. A ferris wheel twice the height of the London Eye with double decker capsules would actually be the second tallest structure Downtown behind the under construction Waterline skyscraper.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nippon-moon-giant-wheel

Like Ain Dubai?

ArchGuy1 · #**3668** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 5:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SproutingTowers

Like Ain Dubai?

Ain Dubai does not have double decker capsules like the wheel proposed in this article.

KevinFromTexas · #**3669** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 5:41 AM**

Come on. There's nothing wrong with going to the top of a tower and sitting at a table and going round and round in circles while staring out the window and drinking expensive alcohol. You know you want to.

To be serious about it, it would be nice to have at least one public observation deck in Austin that is not the UT Tower.

drummer · #**3670** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 1:33 PM**

Is anyone else slightly offended by ATX's statement that we have "an abnormal obsession with skyscrapers"......? I mean...we're not weird, bro. They are. Everyone else is.

IluvATX · #**3671** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 1:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummer

Is anyone else slightly offended by ATX's statement that we have "an abnormal obsession with skyscrapers"......? I mean...we're not weird, bro. They are. Everyone else is.

It could be rephrased as “ATX has an abnormal obsession against anyone bringing up observation towers”. I get it that Ferris wheels or whatever are tacky and not likely to happen here, but the rant was unnecessary. We’re supposed to rant about blank walls, parking, architecture, etc.

lonewolf · #**3672** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 1:59 PM**

i'm not wholly unconvinced that archguy1 isn't a long running gag perpetrated by another longtime user. it's one of my favorite bits on here

drummer · #**3673** Posted **Aug 31, 2023, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonewolf

i'm not wholly unconvinced that archguy1 isn't a long running gag perpetrated by another longtime user. it's one of my favorite bits on here

It's KevinFromTexas, isn't it?!

ArchGuy1 · #**3674** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 3:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Come on. There's nothing wrong with going to the top of a tower and sitting at a table and going round and round in circles while staring out the window and drinking expensive alcohol. You know you want to.

To be serious about it, it would be nice to have at least one public observation deck in Austin that is not the UT Tower.

An observation tower like this might work in Austin.
https://www.martin-vleminckx.com/por...tems/skyspire/

KevinFromTexas · #**3675** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 4:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonewolf

i'm not wholly unconvinced that archguy1 isn't a long running gag perpetrated by another longtime user. it's one of my favorite bits on here

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummer

It's KevinFromTexas, isn't it?!

No.

IluvATX · #**3676** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 1:11 PM**

Riverranchdrone · #**3677** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 1:26 PM**

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/1...on-towers.html
This has a lot of unique observation towers. Even includes the one at COTA

IluvATX · #**3678** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 1:43 PM**

I demand this be built on top of supertall roller coaster in the middle of Zilker Park.

resansom · #**3679** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/1...on-towers.html
This has a lot of unique observation towers. Even includes the one at COTA

Wow, this picture is from the article - I had never seen the tower lit up like this:

Riverranchdrone · #**3680** Posted **Sep 2, 2023, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IluvATX

I demand this be built on top of supertall roller coaster in the middle of Zilker Park.

They have a double decker one at Austin Park and Pizza.