Dubai-based developer Meraas has announced that the much-anticipated Ferris wheel Ain Dubai will be completed in time for Expo 2020.
While at the centre of the attention of the pristine grandeur, the world's largest observation wheel Ain Dubai stands proud at 250 metres high and will be taller than the High Roller in Las Vegas.
It also will stand over 200 percent taller than the first ever Ferris wheel and more than 115 metres taller than the London Eye, which currently stands at 135 metres tall.
It will also carry up to 1,400 passengers at a time across 48 double-glazed capsules. Some of these capsules will have private ‘fine-dining’ pods that can seat up to 12 guests.
The last of the wheel’s permanent spoke cables has been installed while the eighth and last 450-tonne temporary spoke has been removed for the structure on the Bluewaters Island located at the tip of Dubai's JBR coastline.
“The process marks the first time the modern observation structure has been one complete wheel since construction began,” according to a statement from developer Meraas.
With the removal of the temporary wheel spoke, the weight of the wheel rim has been completely transferred to 192 spoke cables, totalling 2,400km, the exact distance between the Emirates and Cairo, Egypt.
Cumulatively, the eight temporary steel spokes and rim braces weighed over 5,000 tonnes. Each rim is equal to 16 Airbus A380 superjumbos.
Over 9,000 tonnes of steel has been used in Ain Dubai’s construction, which is 25 % more than the amount of iron used on the France’s Eiffel Tower, according to the developer.
The weight of its rim is equal to 16 Airbus A380 superjumbos.
Home to Caesars Palace, Caesars Resort and Caesars Residences, Bluewaters Island is a man-made island development that has a residences and a variety of entertainment, retail and hospitality outlets. It is accessible from the mainland by a road bridge from Sheikh Zayed Road and is just a 15-minute walk from The Beach using a pedestrian bridge.