Malacca to get bigger Ferris wheel
By Jason Gerald John
MALACCA: A new Ferris wheel, bigger than the Eyes on Malaysia, will rise again in the historical city here.
The wheel, to be called Malaysia Eye, will stand 88m high and comprise 54 air-conditioned gondolas.
It will be able to ferry six people in a gondola for a 16-minute ride.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said Malaysia Eye would begin operating on Dec 1 with a 324- passenger capacity.
"The the cost of bringing Malaysia Eye from China and the construction of a park along with it is RM30 million.
"It would not be located in Kota Laksamana, but in Pulau Melaka," he said, adding that locating the new Ferris wheel on the Eyes on Malaysia site would have implications as it was taller and the project would have to be approved by Unesco because of its World Heritage Sites status.
Ali said the Malaysia Eye project would be handled by The Eye Sdn Bhd.
He said the Malaysia Eye would be better and bigger than the Eyes On Malaysia which closed down due to a dispute between its owners, Fitraco NV of Belgium and MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd and Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the company leasing the Ferris wheel.
Besides the new Ferris wheel, Ali said the Pulau Melaka area would also see the development of an Arab city, hotels and apartments.
"We will also have a 1,000-room hotel near Pulau Melaka, which will be developed by the Hatten Group.
"The Malaysia Eye and other attractions in this area, especially the soon-to-be opened Sea Lion Park, are set to be the latest tourist attractions," he added.
Besides the New Malaysia Eye at Pulau Melaka, a cable car system will also be implemented. It will also be at Pulau Melaka.
ReplyDeleteWith the Malaysia Eye, cable car system, Arab city and Sea Lion Park including the Melaka Straits Mosque, Pulau Melaka will see greater activity than currently hopefully by 2012.