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YOU'VE climbed the Great Wall of China, now Beijing wants you to "fly" the Great Wheel of China.
Higher than both the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer, which opens in March, the Beijing Great Wheel will tower 208 meters when finished in 2009, executives said yesterday - making it the highest and largest wheel in the world.
The ferris wheel will be built by Shanghai Construction Group, Eastday.com reported.
It will have 48 air-conditioned observation capsules, each of which can carry up to 40 passengers, and on a good day even the Great Wall is expected to be visible in the mountains to Beijing's north.
"The wheel itself is a nice add-on to the city. It's a new icon for the city," Great Wheel Corp Chief Executive Officer Stephan Matter said ahead of yesterday's ground-breaking ceremony.
The wheel will be in Chaoyang Park, where Olympic beach volleyball events will be held next year, and take more passengers than the London Eye, Matter said.
"Each capsule in London caters for 25. Ours will cater for 40 people. It's like a little bus. It's 18 tonnes heavy. It's like your living room," he added.
Beijing government had originally intended to have the landmark wheel completed and opened to tourists ahead of the Games. However, the project was delayed several times to improve its design, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting sources with the Great Wheel Corp, the Singapore-based company that is jointly developing the project with Chaoyang Park authorities.
The Great Wheel Corp in connection with AMB Amro and UniCredit Group are providing the finance of nearly US$99 million with the help of German investors in the fund Global View.
Tickets will cost about 100 yuan (US$13) each, Matter said, though final prices have yet to be decided.
"The Beijing one will be very affordable," Matter told Reuters.
The experience will be like flying, said chairman Florian Bollen, whose company is also involved in the Singapore wheel.
Shanghai Daily News
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