Times Square Ferris Wheel Set To Open, Bring Energy, Mayor Says

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN, NY — A nearly 11-story Ferris wheel that will temporarily call Times Square home will undergo its final inspection on Tuesday and will open Wednesday to the public, including those who can ride for free if they receive either their first or second dose of the coronavirus vaccines.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the 110-foot attraction will add “even more energy and excitement to a place that is already synonymous with excitement.”

The Ferris wheel arrived on trucks from Texas last week, much to the excitement of Vito Bruno, who worked with city officials to have the ride installed in Times Square. Bruno, who runs AMPM Entertainment in Brooklyn, told Patch last week that the opening of the Ferris wheel is just another step in the right direction as the city continues to reopen.

Bruno called the attraction the “greatest selfie location ever.”

Tom Harris, the president of the Times Square Alliance, said Tuesday that anyone who receives either a first or second shot of the vaccines between Wednesday and Sept. 12 is eligible for one of 100 free rides that will be given away while the Ferris wheel remains on-site.

Like de Blasio and Bruno, Harris is excited about the strides New York City is taking after many of the city’s attractions were closed to visitors during the pandemic.

It’s time for us to stop dreaming and start doing,” Harris said during the mayor’s briefing on Tuesday.

Tickets for the Ferris wheel are available at the attraction's website. The Ferris wheel is scheduled to remain open through Sept. 14.