jedimaster1227 Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) http://gulfnews.com/business/investment/freij-to-build-highest-ferris-wheel-1.1009870 Dubai Freij Entertainment International, the company behind the rides in the Global Village as well as other local entertainment venues, plans to build the world's highest ferris wheel in Dubai but is awaiting government support, its chief executive told Gulf News. The proposed Dubai Eye would cost over Dh1 billion and scale 170 metres, towering over the world's current largest observation wheel the Singapore Flyer, said Freij Al Zein, group chief executive officer of Freij Entertainment. The Asian wheel stands at 165 metros. The idea is to provide a bird's-eye view of Dubai, especially the Palm Islands which are popular with outsiders, he said. Al Zein also has ambitious plans to build a major indoor theme park in the UAE combining shows, rides and a zoo. The proposed park would be between 92,900 square metres and 464,500 square feet, with equipment worth Dh1 billion. He said the UAE was in urgent need of a theme park as the country was a magnet for European tourists. "The UAE market needs very urgently a theme park as a European tourist destination," he said. But his plans are on hold until he gets the necessary "government support" for land and licensing procedures, he said. "Today Dubai is very difficult, before in one phone call decisions could be made. Now there's the RTA, Dewa, Police, Civil Defence, DED, you don't know who you're talking to," he said. The Global Village's amusement component has performed well this year, growing 10 to 12 per cent on last year, he said. He, however, said a future increase in rents would be difficult to bear. "The cost to operate the Global Village is more than creating a permanent park the whole year round... Dubai is the most difficult place in the world for me." Freij Entertainment operates in 45 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and the Arab world with about 500 rides. His comments came on the sidelines of the Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure show that was officially inaugurated yesterday by Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality. It will end tomorrow. More than 200 exhibitors from 40 countries are participating in the show, targeting the multi-billion dollar theme park industry in the GCC. Gulf countries are investing massively in leisure tourism infratructure to lure tourists. Theme parks are key to attracting families. Edited April 19, 2012 by jedimaster1227 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Does goernment support mean government financing? Interesting that this anouncement comes on the heels of them canceling another giant wheel project last January that was proposed back in 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 The idea is to provide a bird's-eye view of Dubai, especially the Palm Islands which are popular with outsiders, he said. They already have a bird's eye view of the entire freaking middle east in that city! I guess they need to find someway to spend that oil money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmicha Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 ^You may want to read up on the breakdown of Dubai's economy. Oil doesn't play anywhere near as big of a part of their economy as most assume. Not that it isn't involved with many of the major developers there, but they aren't anywhere near as oil rich as their neighbors in Abu Dhabi. I'm surprised this isn't bigger actually. Not that I care one way or the other, but it just doesn't seem like Dubai's style to only beat the current record holder by 5 meters. Now I'm dreaming of a 300 meter wheel and how amazing that would be. Now that would turn some heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 The thing that's odd here is this is the company that runs the Global Village rides. The Global Village rides are carnival rides. Nothing real. Scary to have them do the largest wheel in the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmicha Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 ^Wow, really? Jumping from carnival rides all the way up to the largest of some form of ride is a pretty gigantic leap. Will be interesting to see how all of this plays out when/if it ends up happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiminn6 Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I really hope Universal Studios builds a park here like they had previously planned. I really want to go to Dubai and a Universal park will suffice a plane ticket there on a tight budget! Hope they don't build a Carnival Elissa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighRoller Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Hope they don't build a Carnival Elissa! All I can think is that the "Carnival Elissa" would be the perfect place for the next epically masterful TPR Klassy Kruise. Sorry, Back to the news... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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