The Dubai EyeThe same week that Ferris wheel inventor George Ferris would have turned 154 years old—which Google is marking with a Valentine's Day-inspired amusement park doodle—the global race for the world's tallest wheel continues with new plans in Dubai.

Earlier this week, Dubai's ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashin Al Maktoum, approved plans to build a new Ferris wheel in the city that could become the world’s largest at 688 feet (210 meters) tall. With an expected price tag of $1.6 billion), the city's government hoped the wheel, dubbed the “Dubai Eye,” would showcase new ambition and tenacity after the global economic downturn.

Illustration courtesy Dubai Media Office

Giant Ferris Wheels Around the World

Cities around the world have been competing for years to build the world’s tallest Ferris wheel—see the top contenders.

February 14, 2013