In the past few decades, many cities around the globe have added an enormous Ferris Wheel as an urban attraction. Given these new wheels are commonly being located where they provide spectacular views, the term “observation wheel” is often being employed as well as Ferris Wheel. And these aren’t just your mother’s old Ferris Wheel – these structures most often have climate-controlled gondolas/capsules/cabs/cars that take a lazy rotation around the wheel allowing passengers to get a 360-degree birds-eye view of their surroundings. Some even have VIP options. The latest significant proposal is a twin spokeless wheel in Seoul, South Korea (see photo above).
As planners, we have seen our share of mega-project fads meant to attract people into and revitalize once-neglected areas. From arenas to stadiums, to enclosed malls, to casinos, to aquariums, and many more. Compared to these other facilities, a Ferris Wheel could be “relatively” inexpensive. That being said, mega-wheels like the originally proposed 625 foot tall Ferris wheel on the north end of New York City’s Staten Island, ran so many millions over budget that the project was scrapped in 2018. Currently revised plans, if they are completed, call for a smaller structure of 420 feet possibly opening in 2025.
Ferris or observation wheels now are being employed as an eye-catching part of a city’s entertainment district. St. Louis opened a 200 foot wheel in 2019 at the Union Station Entertainment District. The wheel contributes to a unique geometric bookending of downtown St. Louis with the Gateway Arch on the riverside (east) and the circular wheel on the west side.
Not to be outdone, cross-state rival Kansas City, Missouri opened their observation wheel just last month (December 2023) in the burgeoning Pennway Point Entertainment District. Other examples at entertainment districts include mega-wheels at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Navy Pier in Chicago, and Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami.
Even some suburban shopping/entertainment complexes are opening mega-wheels at locations like the Grandscape Entertainment Center in The Colony, Texas; National Harbor in Washington’s suburban Maryland; and the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Whether all these wheels will be successful in the long run is a prudent question. The SkyView Ferris Wheel that opened in downtown Atlanta in 2013 was originally located in Paris, then Switzerland, and then in Pensacola prior to its current home in the capital city of the Peach State. Other wheel projects have been abandoned before even getting off the ground for a variety of reasons.
Only time will tell whether mega-wheels are a passing fad or an on-going successful entertainment amenity and economic development tool. Aside from Asia, where they seem quite popular, my guess is sky-high wheels will primarily be successful in unique and specialized locations that have a regular stream of potential customers like resort communities, but not necessarily everywhere. As a result, those cities considering such a sky-high venture may want to proceed with due diligence, caution, and care.
Below is a list of those tallest fixed Ferris Wheels (or observation wheels) constructed and located in urban or suburban settings. As can be seen, all of them have been constructed since 1995 with more than half (29 of 55) located in Asia. Not included on the list are those installed or erected/used for temporary events like state fairs or located within amusement parks. Also, a minimum height if 125 feet was required for inclusion on the list.
Peace!
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1.Ain Dubai, UAE = 820 feet (2021)
2. Seoul Twin Eye – Seoul, South Korea = 722 feet (proposed twin spokeless)
3. High Roller, Nevada, USA = 550 feet (2014)
4. Singapore Flyer, Singapore = 541 feet (2008)
5. Nanchang Star, China – 525 feet (2006)
6. Bailang River Bridge Ferris Wheel, China – 476 ft. (2017) – spokeless
7. London Eye, UK = 445 feet (1999)
8-9. Bay Glory, China (2021); and Staten Island Wheel, New York, USA (2025?) = 420 feet
10. Redhorse Osaka Wheel, Japan = 404 feet (2016)
11-15. Changsha Ferris Wheel, China (2004); Fukuoka Sky Dream, Japan (2002); Melbourne Southern Star, Australia (2011); Suzhou Ferris Wheel, China; and (2009) Vinpearl Sky Wheel, Vietnam (2017) = 394 feet
16. Tianjin Eye, China = 390 feet (2007)
17. Tokyo Diamond and Flower Wheel, Japan = 384 feet (2001)
18-19. Odaiba Dainkanransha, Japan (1999) and Sun Wheel, Vietnam (2014) = 377 feet
20. Osaka Tempozan, Japan = 369 feet (1997)
21. Harbin Ferris Wheel, China = 361 feet (2003)
22. Shanghai Ferris Wheel, China = 354 feet (2002)
23. Osaka HEP Five Wheel, Japan = 348 feet (1998)
24. Dream Wheel, New Jersey, USA = 300 feet (2022)
25. Roda Rico, Brazil = 299 feet (2022)
26-27. Rio Star, Brazil (2019) and Swatow Eye, China (2019) = 289 feet
28-29. Mashhad Ferris Wheel, Iran (2005) and Tbilisi Ferris Wheel, Georgia (2010) = 262 feet
30. Sun of Moscow, Russia = 230 feet (1997)
31-35. Asiatique Sky, Thailand (2012); Atlanta SkyView, Georgia, USA (2013); 360 Pensacola Beach, Florida (2013); La Grande Roue de Montréal, Canada; and St. Louis Wheel, Missouri, USA (2019) = 200 feet
36-39. Kagoshima Amuran, Japan (2004); Eye of the Emirates, UAE (2005); and Observation Wheel Leeds, UK (2013); and Hong Kong Observation Wheel (2017) = 197 feet
40. Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, Illinois, USA (2016) = 196 feet
41. Enclosed Ferris Wheel, Turkmenistan = 190 feet (2011)
42. Myrtle Beach Skywheel, South Carolina, USA (2011) = 187 feet
43-46. Manila Mall of Asia Eye, Philippines (2011); Baghdad Eye, Iraq (2011); Capital Wheel at National Harbor, Maryland, USA (2014); and Grandscape Wheel, Texas, USA (2021) = 180 feet
47. Skyview Miami, Florida, USA (2020) = 176 feet
48-49. Niagara Falls Skywheel, Canada (2006) and Seattle Great Wheel, Washington, USA (2012) = 175 feet
50. Helsinki Wheel, Finland = 165 feet (2013)
51-52. Kaohshiung Eye, Taiwan (2002) and Wheel of Perth, Australia (2009) = 164 feet
53-54. SkyStar Wheel at Fisherman’s Wharf, California, USA (2023)and KC Wheel, Missouri, USA (2023) = 150 feet
55. Capetown Cape Wheel, South Africa = 131 feet (2010)
SOURCES:
- Original post from January 22, 2014
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferris_wheel
- https://www.observationwheeldirectory.com/wheels/
- https://aindubai.com/en/about-ain-dubai
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/seouls-skyline-to-get-a-facelift-with-worlds-tallest-spokeless-ferris-wheel/ar-BB1hpPWm
- https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2021/02/22/honey-i-shrunk-the-wheel-smaller-ride-planned-for-staten-island/
- https://www.tripsavvy.com/tallest-observation-wheels-in-the-world-3225596
- https://www.capetourism.com/cape-wheel/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Wheel
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_Dublin
- https://hkow.hk/attractions/
- https://www.landmark.hk/en/visit/around-central/the-hong-kong-observation-wheel
- https://kcwheel.com
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/kansas-city-s-newest-landmark-the-kc-wheel-opens-today/ar-AA1lszME
- https://www.stlparent.com/event/grand-opening-st-louis-wheel
- https://thecapitalwheel.com
- https://townandtourist.com/articles/tallest-observation-wheels
- https://townandtourist.com/articles/20-biggest-observation-wheels-in-the-world
- https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/american-dream-new-jersey-observation-wheel
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_roue_de_Montréal
- https://wsvn.com/entertainment/skyviews-miami-ferris-wheel-opens-at-bayside-marketplace/
- https://www.skyviewsobservationwheels.com/miami-fl
- https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/l/attractions/skyviews-miami/23814
- https://www.skystarwheel.com
- https://www.sf.gov/news/skystar-ferris-wheel-opens-fishermans-wharf
- https://grandscapewheel.com
problogic
Panethos 
You forgot Chicago!
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Debated whether to include it since in many ways Navy Pier could be considered an amusement park. Decided against including it as I did with the one in Myrtle Beach. May have to rethink that. Thanks!
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Rick,
There are several Big wheels continuously on tour around the UK. They are 60m (197 ft) high and are are located in city centres, such as Birmingham, Cardiff, York, Nottingham and Derby. They are erected in 2-3 days, stay for about 1 month then move onto another city. There are others which appear to be semi-permanent, such as the one at the Albert Dock in Liverpool. I recall going up in the one at Birmingham, which had previously been located in Paris, and still had the French commentary in the gondolas!
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Fascinating. Thank you Stephen.
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