Texas Star Ferris Wheel | |
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Height | 212 feet (64.6 m)[1][2] |
Weight | 678,554 pounds (308,434 kg) |
Cost | $2.2 million[3] |
Texas Star is the tallest Ferris wheel in North America.[1][4] It is located at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, and operates during the annual State Fair of Texas,[2] where it is the most popular ride.[4]
The structure has an overall height of 212 feet (64.6 m) (approximately 21 stories) and can carry up to 264 passengers in its 44 gondolas.[5] It will be superseded as the tallest Ferris wheel in North America if the proposed 286-foot (87 m) Pepsi Globe proposed for American Dream Meadowlands, in New Jersey, is constructed.
The Texas Star Ferris wheel was built by SDC Corp. in Reggio Emilia, Italy, at a cost of $2.2 million.[3] It was then shipped to Dallas for its debut at the 1985 State Fair of Texas.[6] The Texas Star requires a staff of 18 employees. The view is one of the things that entices people to ride on it.[7] On a clear day, you can see the Fort Worth skyline, which is 45 miles (72 km) away. It can go 1.5 revolutions a minute with an average ride time of 12–15 minutes.
During the fair, the Texas Star was, from 1985 to 2007, lit up at night by 16,000 incandescent red, white, and blue turbolites.[8] In 2008, the incandescent system was replaced with a longer-lasting, more energy-efficient LED lighting system.[9]
The Texas Star is owned by Barbara Brown and her brother, Mike Sandefur.[10][11]