Ain Dubai

Ain Dubai (Arabic: عين دبي‎) is an observation wheel on Bluewaters Island, near the Dubai Marina in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[1] It is due to open in 2021 as the world's tallest Ferris wheel.[2]

Ain Dubai/ain Dubai eye
Ain Dubai eye
View from the JBR Marina Beach front
General information
StatusBuilt but not operational still under construction and the surrounding area is still being built
TypeObservation wheel
Architectural styleModern
LocationBluewaters Island
Town or cityDubai
CountryUnited Arab Emirates
Coordinates25°04′48.4″N 55°07′26.6″E
Construction startedMay 2015
Estimated completion2021
Height250 m (820 ft)
Dimensions
Diameter210 m (689 ft)
Technical details
Structural systemFerris wheel
MaterialMetal
Design and construction
EngineerHyundai Engineering & Construction;
Starneth Engineering

Background
Ain Dubai and Bluewaters Island

The 210 m (689 ft) Ain Dubai (previously named the Dubai Eye or Dubai-I[3][4]) at Bluewaters Island in the United Arab Emirates was announced in February 2013.[5] At that time construction was planned to begin in June 2013 and completion expected sometime during 2015, at an estimated cost of US$1.6 billion for the entire Blue Island project,[6] and Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Starneth Engineering were appointed as the primary design and construction contractors.[5][7] Construction eventually began almost two years behind schedule in May 2015,[8] anticipating completion in early to mid-2019. Further delays pushed the target opening to October 20, 2020, in order to coincide with Expo 2020,[9] but this itself has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project for the wheel itself has an estimated cost of AED 1 billion ($270m).[10] When completed, it will be 42.5 m (139 ft) taller than the current world's tallest Ferris wheel, the 167.6 m (550 ft) High Roller, which opened in Las Vegas in March 2014,[11] and 19.5 m (64 ft) taller than the 190.5 m (625 ft) New York Wheel planned for Staten Island.[12][13]

Design and construction are being undertaken by Hyundai Contracting and Starneth Engineering,[14] with actual construction being undertaken from May 2015 onwards.[15]

The wheel will be able to carry up to 1,400 passengers, in its 48 capsules, and provide views of Dubai Marina and landmarks such as Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah, and Burj Khalifa.[16] Its base will serve as an entertainment zone, and an 80-metre (260 ft) LED screen will be mounted on the wheel creating an electronic platform for broadcasting, advertisements, and other information.[16][17] The first passenger capsule was installed on August 21, 2020.[18]

See also

References
  1. "Ain Dubai". www.visitdubai.com. Visit Dubai. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. Nair, Manoj (17 April 2019). "World's tallest Ferris wheel 'Ain Dubai' to open in 2021". Gulf News. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  3. Dubai's Meraas eyes $234m loan for Ferris wheel scheme Archived 2015-02-17 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Ain Dubai is the new name for Dubai-I – update". Time Out Dubai. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  5. "Dubai plans to outdo Staten Island in race for world's biggest Ferris wheel". www.nydailynews.com. New York Daily News. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  6. "Dubai Eye: Construction Of World's Largest Ferris Wheel Set To Begin Later This Year". News. Travel Today. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  7. "Dubai to build the tallest observation wheel". Travel. CNN. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  8. "First leg of Dubai Eye big wheel lifted into place". Middle East Construction News. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  9. Bhatia, Nehi (June 7, 2019). "Hyundai E&C awards Ain Dubai EPCI subcontract to France's Poma". ConstructionWeek. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  10. "Work begins on $1.6bn Bluewaters island in Dubai". ConstructionWeekOnline.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  11. Trejos, Nancy. "World's tallest Ferris wheel opens in Vegas". USA Today. Knight Ridder. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  12. "Dubai proposes Ferris wheel taller than planned Staten Island wheel; would be completed before NYC attraction". New York Daily News. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  13. "Dubai Eye: Construction Of World's Largest Ferris Wheel Set To Begin Later This Year". Travelers Today. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  14. Dubai eyes world's tallest observation wheel, CNN Travel.
  15. Davids, Gavin (June 1, 2015). "First leg of Dubai Eye big wheel lifted into place". constructionnews.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  16. "Dh6b tourism project in Dubai unveiled". Gulf News. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  17. Deulgaonkar, Parag (June 29, 2015). "Oasis in sky: World's largest ferris wheel taking shape in Dubai". Emirates 24/7. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  18. Devlin, Grant (August 24, 2020). "Ain Dubai gets first passenger pod". The National. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  • Media related to Ain Dubai at Wikimedia Commons


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