Developer plans 200-foot-high Ferris wheel in downtown San Antonio (2024)

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Shutterstock / Matthew Munsell

The Florida-based amusem*nt developer is also behind the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel.

An amusem*nt-development group plans to build an entertainment complex two blocks from the Alamo anchored by a 200-foot-high Ferris wheel offering expansive views of the city.

The Grandismo project will include not just the towering wheel bearing the same name but a miniature golf course, acustom carousel ride and a food and drink hall, according to details shared online by Jacksonville, Florida-based developer Icon.

Icon is under contract to buy nearly an acre of land for the development at 902 E. Houston St., according to the Express-News. The site is currently home to a Days Inn by Wyndham budget hotel.

The Grandismo wheel will include climate-controlled gondolas that provide 20-mile views in all directions, according to the daily. Thirteen-year-old Icon has developed similar projects including the 180-foot Capital Wheel at Maryland's National Harbor and the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, the paper also reports.

Icon's San Antonio project represents something of a homecoming for company managing partnersCurtis Parks and Eli Stoval, who got their starts in the amusem*nt business working for New Braunfels-based water park Schlitterbahn, according to an online bio. In addition to large-scale Ferris wheel projects, the pair have also worked on water parks, carousels and speedways around the country.

Icon expects to complete the downtown development next year, according to details shared online.

The city’s Zoning Commission this week voted to recommend a zoning change allowing the project to move ahead, the Express-News reports. City Council will make the final decision on the change based on the commission's input.

In 2017, an anonymous developer planned to develop a 900-foot Ferris wheel along the Mission Reach stretch of San Antonio's River Walk. The planned wheel was touted as the world's largest such attraction, but plans to build it ultimately fell through for unclear reasons, the Express-News reports.


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Developer plans 200-foot-high Ferris wheel in downtown San Antonio (2024)

FAQs

Developer plans 200-foot-high Ferris wheel in downtown San Antonio? ›

An amusem*nt-development group plans to build an entertainment complex two blocks from the Alamo

the Alamo
Originally named the Misión San Antonio de Valero, it was one of the early Spanish missions in Texas, built to convert American tribes to Christianity. The mission was secularized in 1793 and then abandoned.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Alamo_Mission
anchored by a 200-foot-high Ferris wheel offering expansive views of the city.

Who designs Ferris wheels? ›

(February 14, 1859 – November 22, 1896) was an American civil engineer. He is mostly known for creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition.

Why does San Antonio have canals? ›

The San Pedro Acequia (circa 1730), seen in this exposed fragment, was the largest of the seven canals that supplied water to the early settlers of San Antonio. Dug by Indians under the supervision of the Spaniards, these acequias extended the reach of the natural water sources on which the young city depended.

Why is the San Antonio Riverwalk famous? ›

The downtown loop of the famed San Antonio Riverwalk, or Paseo del Rio, is a 2 1/2 mile stretch of beautifully landscaped waterfront that features many of San Antonio's most spectacular hotels, restaurants, night clubs, bars, shopping centers and businesses.

Who builds the Ferris wheel? ›

Dutch Wheels is the global leader in the manufacturing and construction of Ferris Wheels. Dutch Wheels specializes in Ferris Wheels.

Who developed the Ferris wheel? ›

The Ferris wheel owes its famous design to George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., a structural engineer who was born in Galesburg, Illinois and later relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who inspected steel for the fair.

Was San Antonio originally a native village? ›

The City of San Antonio is one of the oldest Spanish settlements in Texas and was, for decades, its largest city. Before Spanish colonization, the site was occupied for thousands of years by varying cultures of indigenous peoples. The historic Payaya Indians were likely those who encountered the first Europeans.

Why can't you swim in the San Antonio Riverwalk? ›

A high level of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the river indicates fecal contamination that poses hazards to human health when water is ingested. It is no surprise then that E. coli is the key pollutant for assessing the grade for the Swimming Standard.

How deep is San Antonio Riverwalk? ›

How deep is the Riverwalk? A. In the downtown (Horseshoe area) of the Riverwalk it is only 3 or 4 feet deep. It does get deeper in the main channel and near the lock and dam on the Museum Reach.

What is the most beautiful building in San Antonio? ›

  1. Tower of the Americas. 2,659. ...
  2. Pearl Brewery. 537. ...
  3. Hermann Sons Hall W Rathskeller Bar. Architectural Buildings. ...
  4. Spirit of Healing Mural. Architectural Buildings. ...
  5. Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. ...
  6. Maverick Carter House. Points of Interest & Landmarks.
  7. Star Chimney Sweep San Antonio. Architectural Buildings.

What US city has the prettiest skyline? ›

These are the most beautiful skylines in America
  • Chicago, IL. ...
  • San Francisco, CA. ...
  • Washington, D.C. ...
  • Dallas, TX. ...
  • Houston, TX. ...
  • Philadelphia, PA. ...
  • Seattle, WA. ...
  • Atlanta, GA.
May 15, 2024

What is the tall tower in San Antonio? ›

Located in downtown San Antonio, the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas provides guests the most spectacular view of the Alamo City.

What movie was filmed at the River Walk San Antonio? ›

San Antonio Riverwalk | THE GETAWAY (1972), SELENA (1997), MISS CONGENIALITY (2000) The San Antonio Riverwalk was used in The Getaway, when "Doc" McCoy (Steve McQueen) meets Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson) at the Riverwalk for a chat with the corrupt businessman.

What foods is San Antonio known for? ›

Devour San Antonio's famous Tex-Mex food

Generations of connection between Texas and Mexico have created a unique cuisine that combines the best of both traditions: fresh vegetables, slow-cooked meats, flour tortillas, and cheddar cheese. Dishes like fajitas, tamales, and tortilla soup are all Tex-Mex staples.

Is it safe to walk around San Antonio Riverwalk? ›

Is It Safe to Walk Along the San Antonio Riverwalk at Night? The San Antonio authorities take the city's safety very seriously and the Riverwalk is no exception. The area is well-secured and patrolled by security personnel to ensure maximum safety for the visitors.

Who designed the Wonder Wheel? ›

Built in 1920 as one of several Ferris wheels on Coney Island, the Wonder Wheel was designed by Charles Hermann and operated by Herman J. Garms Sr. and his son Fred for six decades. Despite the subsequent economic decline of Coney Island, the Wonder Wheel continued to operate each summer through the 20th century.

Who designed the wheel? ›

The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia(modern-​​day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood.

How much money did George Ferris make? ›

Ferris's wheel performed flawlessly and safely, and returned $725,000 in revenue on an investment of the $400,000 it had cost to build. The wheel, however, brought Ferris only heartache, for he had to sue the Exposition over the wheel's profits while fending off patent lawsuits.

Who owns the Ferris Wheel in Seattle? ›

Seattle Great Wheel
Construction startedApril 17, 2012
OpenedJune 29, 2012
Cost$20 million
OwnerGreat Western Pacific
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