If you have ever been down to the banks in Cincinnati, you have noticed the 150 foot tall SkyStar Ferris wheel. The large attraction has been a staple of the Queen City’s skyline since its installation in August 2018. Now, as of March 1st of this year, the Ferris Wheel is closed and has been dismantled to be moved to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. The wheel will help celebrate the park’s 150th anniversary.

Prior to Cincinnati, the wheel has made its rounds in Louisville,  Kentucky and Norfolk, Virginia. The wheel made its debut in Louisville at the base of the Big Four Bridge. The wheel was in Louisville from March 29th to May 6th of 2018 before making its summer run in Norfolk until August 19th, when it was moved to Cincinnati.

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Louisville, KY

While the wheel’s prolonged installation in Cincinnati has recently come to an end, it is being removed only to make room for a bigger and better attraction. A new Skystar wheel will be replacing the previous one. It is said to be 200 feet tall, and implement a new design that utilizes cables rather than traditional steel spokes.

Changes to the lot that the previous SkyStar wheel was on are also planned. This will entail a permanent concession stand to compliment the new permanent wheel, as well as improved landscaping. Managing partner of the SkyStar parent company Todd Schneider also said that the “Sing the Queen City” sign will be moved to accommodate new installations by the non-profit organization ArtsWave.

Schneider attributes the previous wheel’s success to social media. “The social media side of it has been amazing … It has spread like wildfire. It never ceases to amaze me the different angles and perspectives people come up with in pictures of the wheel, whether reflection in a puddle, or a riverboat floating by.”

The plans for the new SkyStar wheel are being submitted to Cincinnati’s Planning and Development Commission. Once approved, the construction of the new Sky Star wheel will begin. This process is expected to take about nine months. The new wheel is expected to stay in Cincinnati for at least the next 10 years, with two 5-year extension options available after. Without a doubt, this new wheel will add to the iconic skyline of Cincinnati, and show citizens a bird’s-eye view of downtown for years to come.