The High Roller Ferris Wheel at The Linq Gets Its Rim On

By Scott Roeben, on August 08 2013
2 min read 2 comments
Free Las Vegas Las Vegas Things to Do in Las Vegas

It’s official. Progress at the High Roller Ferris wheel at The Linq Las Vegas is now moving so fast, hourly updates are required!

Lin ferris wheel
If you’re not in awe yet, it’s possible you’re a lawn sprinkler.

The High Roller’s outer rim is being assembled with lightning speed, and for the first time we can get a sense of just how tall a 550-foot observation wheel will be. (That’s 553 feet in a hat.)

High Roller Ferris wheel
Each of the 28 sections of the rim is 56 feet long. Do the math! No, really, please do the math. We hate math.

When the Ferris wheel was first announced, there were those who doubted the wheel would provide much of a view given its proximity to surrounding buildings. But now that the rim is being put together, those concerns should be assuaged. Unrelated: We’re thinking The Assuaged Concerns would make a great band name.

The High Roller is going to dwarf the nearby Flamingo Hilton Grand Vacation Club, whatever that might be.
The High Roller is going to dwarf the nearby Flamingo Hilton Grand Vacation Club, whatever that might be.

Given the size and weight of the rim sections (90,000 pounds each), we’re sort of agog at the sheer velocity of the construction. And this blog doesn’t agog lightly. Once the rim is complete, massive cables will hold the wheel together, probably through some kind of engineering voodoo we don’t entirely get.

At the moment, though, temporary blue braces are being used to put the rim sections into place.

Nobody likes having braces, but they'll be removed eventually.
Nobody likes having braces, but they’ll be removed eventually.

Once complete, the High Roller Ferris wheel at The Linq will take 30 minutes to make a full revolution. Something to keep in mind if you’re bladder-challenged.

The braces are sort of "Ferris wheel Viagra."
The braces are sort of “Ferris wheel Viagra.”

A lot of activity at the High Roller has been centered around the hub that straddles the wheel’s legs. Here’s a shot you won’t see anywhere else, mainly because our lens is huge, and in Las Vegas, size matters.

It's like being up there, with the added benefit of not having to be crazy enough to be up there.
It’s like being up there, with the added benefit of not having to be crazy enough to be up there.

We’re giddy as a schoolgirl checking out each new piece of the High Roller wheel going into place, so rest assured more updates and exclusive photos will be on the way. For now, checking out the High Roller construction site is one of our favorite free things to do in Las Vegas.