A rendering of the coming Ferris wheel. (Photo by Anthony George)
Parents and kids, much older now, may remember the Ferris wheel which once spun in the neon lights of the Times Square Toys-R-Us. That Toys-R-Us closed in 2015, and Manhattan’s Times Square has been without a Ferris wheel ever since.
This week, that’s changing — a majestic, state-of-the-art Ferris wheel is coming to Manhattan’s “Crossroads of the World.”
“A Ferris wheel in Times Square will bring New York City an incredible new way to enjoy Times Square from a completely new vantage point,” said Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, an organization founded to support the area’s development.
The Ferris wheel will be 110-feet high – the equivalent of 11 stories. From its height, you’ll be able to see up Broadway, down on the throngs of tourists and panhandlers, and right into the faces of Times Square’s enormous billboards, according to the business-boosting group.
“Come see Times Square like you’ve never seen it before,” said Harris.
The Ferris wheel will be developed by Vito Bruno and his company AM/PM Entertainment Concepts Inc., a New York-based entertainment company. Bruno said he first brought the idea to the Times Square Alliance a few months ago, and that they’ve been developing it ever since.
The ferris wheel will sit on Broadway between West 47th and West 48th streets. Its parts have been brought all the way from Texas by three semi-trucks, and will take about four days to assemble.
Tickets will cost between $15 and $20 for a 12-minute ride, according to the Alliance.
Ex-Brit turned Manhattan resident since 2008.