World's largest ferris wheel debuts in Singapore | Reuters

Standing at 165 meters (541 feet) high, the Singapore Flyer, which opens to the public in March, is 30 meters (98 feet) taller than the ... LifestyleUpdatedWorld'slargestferriswheeldebutsinSingaporeByMelanieLee2MinReadSINGAPORE(Reuters)-Theworld’slargestferriswheel,theSingaporeFlyer,madeitsfirstspinonMonday,offeringpassengersabird’seyeviewofthecity-stateaswellaspartsofneighboringMalaysiaandIndonesia.Slideshow(4images)Over700executivesfrom17corporationsandtheirguestssippedwineandnibbledonsalmoncanapeswhilesoakinguptheviewoftheSoutheastAsiancity-statebynight.TheinauguralrotationcostthecompaniesaheftyS$8,888($6,277)percapsule--aprosperousnumberaccordingtoChinesebelief.“It’sdifferent.ItwasverycoolbeingabletoseetoSingapore’sgolfcoursesfromthetopandtheF1(FormulaOne)pitbeingbuilt,”said16-year-oldJoanneChong.HerfatherWinstedtChong,abusinessconsultantinhis50s,waslessimpressed.“IhavesatontheKL(KualaLumpur)andTokyoobservationwheels,andtheSingaporeFlyerisnotasbeautiful.Ihopetheybrushuponthelightinganddecoration.”hesaid.Standingat165meters(541feet)high,theSingaporeFlyer,whichopenstothepublicinMarch,is30meters(98feet)tallerthantheLondonEye.However,bothwillbetrouncedin2009bythe208meter(682feet)GreatWheelofChinainBeijing.TheSingaporeFlyer,builtatacostofS$240million($170million),has28bus-sizedcapsulesattachedtoacircularframe150meters(492feet)indiameter.Itcanaccommodate28peopleineachcapsuleandeachridewillcostaroundS$30aheadandlast30minutes.Althoughthegiantwheel’sgrandopeningwillbeonApril15,itwillfeatureaseriesofsoftlaunchesinFebruarytoincludeaValentine’sDayspecialforcouplesseekingaromanticviewandasingles’minglingsession.TheSingaporeFlyerispartofthecity-state’sdrivetoboosttourismdollarstoS$30billionandattract17millionvisitorseachyearby2015.Thecity-statewillalsohostayearlyFormulaOneracestartingthisyearandisbuildingtwocasinosatatotalcostofover$7billion.ReportingbyMelanieLee;EditingbyNeilChatterjeeandDavidFoxOurStandards:TheThomsonReutersTrustPrinciples.for-phone-onlyfor-tablet-portrait-upfor-tablet-landscape-upfor-desktop-upfor-wide-desktop-up