They should make the developer post a bond sufficient to pay for the dismantling and removal of the wheel. That way when this idiotic plan turns out to be a economic flop the city does not get stuck with a gigantic, rusted out eyesore on the waterfront. This plan just does not seem to be very sound economically. I can not believe that this Ferris wheel alone would generate anywhere near enough business to support this developer's grandiose plans.

It should double as a power producing water wheel and spin with the tides.

Bonds are for the developer's protection as well as the community's. The only issue with this project is the timing due to the storm. If they have the cash to do it then that means either (1) the developer has cash to infuse on their own or (2) they have tendered a pro-forma sufficient to get the needed loans.

Mr. Marin's timing is abysmal, but if he can maybe back up his "greater good" claim with some replacement housing worked into the package, it would be more palatable.

The big Ferris Wheel is a great idea if you have proper insurance when it blows down. Please don't ask for 50 billion dollars of taxpayer bailout storm money if you rebuild everything in risk prone areas........

“It was in poor taste to be discussing a Ferris wheel and all this glamor -- it was very hard to embrace this when you knew that your colleagues and their family members were devastated, and there were people who don't have heat or electricity or homes," she told the AP after attending a public meeting.

What does one thing have to do with another? Development and job growth is exactly what the hard hit areas need to thrive once again.

Let's hope the billions of government assistance won't be used on a feris wheel.

What nerve! Building a business on the water's edge like that. I mean, who is he to use our tax dollars and...wait...what? You mean it's not coming out of our pockets? Oh. Well...what gives him the right to be insensitive and build a resort in a hard impacted storm area that...wait...so he's bringing jobs and money to the area that desperately needs it and is rebuilding tourism? Oh. Well in that case, screw the hippies who have an issue with progress. ;)

What the hell is wrong with you people? This is a government funded project here, so why the hell are you worried about getting stuck with a bill? I personally think it's a GREAT idea, another landmark in our country,IMO could never be a bad thing. Look at Londons, along with Big Ben it's one of the most recognizable landmarks in their whole country. I suppose though that NO MATTER WHAT is proposed there will ALWAYS be people who'll disagree with it just for the sake of disagreeing. The same exact thing happened with the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower and the first Ferris Wheel ever at the 1889 Chicago Worlds Fair. There were a whole group of negative people who said the EXACT same things as these posters are saying back in 1889, that it was just going to be "one gigantic eye sore" that will never make enough money to even "pay for itself, let alone the fair." But the truth was that the Ferris Wheel was really the only reason why the 1889 fair turned a profit in the 1st place and if it wasn't there it's almost certain that the fair would have been a miserable failure.

So let all these naysayers have their moments of complaining because thats ALL they do anyways. That's what their lives are anyways, one complaint after the next, and lets just hope that after this project IS built these complaining b!tches wont fill the lines with the people who wanted it built in the first place. Or you can do what your kind HAS ALWAYS done, wait till it's finished and has become a success then go there yourself and ride it and then change your tune and tell everyone what a great project it has been and how you always knew it would be a success...

But I surely hope you wont change your opinion of it because someone has to keep the American tradition about b!tching about every little thing that goes on in our country, going because of course, it's the American Way...

‘What happens when the next big storm comes and this thing falls on our head?’”

Ummmmmm, I'll give you one guess dude.....

This guy obviously failed physics class...........

But Richard Marin, the developer of the plan to erect the 625-foot structure, said he's been been (sic) forced to confront the fears of residents of the ravaged New York City borough.

Hey, Tracy...editing, please!!! Oh, that's right. This is NBCNews.com, the place where no one knows the meaning of the words proofread or edit before publishing.

Build it!

WAKE UP PEOPLE! What will this "ferris wheel" do for us, or the city for that matter. They can barely repair our streets, and check out how many abandoned buildings are scattered all over this island. It's a danger, it's going to be in major disrepair in 5 years, and if anyone gets hurt, they will sue the city and who is responsible for paying that lawsuit, us! This guy from wall street is not going to do this without some financial return on the deal, and what will that be??? We are idiots if we think this is going to be a plus for our borough. Even before the storm hit, it was a bad idea. Now, what's wrong with living in reality and realizing that we will have another storm, and then what? It will fall down or be destroyed, like Seaside Heights roller coaster, and remain in the water ad infinitum. Or the taxpayers will have to get it fixed. ENOUGH! Fix our roads, and bring prosperity to all places in Staten Island. Molinaro got his way with the park being built on the dumpsite that is completely TOXIC, and that won't change. 10 years after they finish that park, there will be lawsuits filed because people will be sick. THIS CITY HAS ENOUGH CRAP TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE, TELL WALL STREET TO BACK OFF.

@redbundy - Big Ben was for a reason - so people would know the time, it served a purpose, to keep all the citizens running on time including the businesses. This ferris wheel has NO PURPOSE at all except to build this guy's ego. I think it's the last thing they should be considering doing at this time.

Save Ferris

Instead of building a stupid ferris wheel, that will succumb to another tragedy sometime in the future, they should be discussing building a center for displaced people and animals from tragedies that befall a city.

Here's the deal, folks. The people of Staten Island DON"T WANT THE WHEEL. We didn't want it before Superstorm Sandy devestated 10,000 homes here, and we don't want it now.

This thing is being planted next to a white elephant stadium built less than 200 yards away from the proposed site in the last decade that is proving to be an economic failure. The contention is that the main transportation access for tourists will be our already inadequate ferry service used by tens of thousands of Islanders to commute to Manhattan jobs. There are exactly 4 lanes of traffic outside the site to carry buses and private vehicles, already snarled in traffic in boith morning and evening rush hours. There is inadequate commuter parking available now, and they are planning on adding no more than 150 spots once construction is complete.

Think about whether you would want this thing planted next to your train station, bus terminal or ferry dock. This is going to be planted nest to ALL THREE for us. We already have the longest commutes in the US. We don't want to become the world record holders.

Wow! What a bunch of nay sayers. Some wonder how our country has become in the shape it is in. With negative thoughts like many of these is there any wonder. What if this or what if that? If the dude has the money to build the darn thing and the land is available then why not?

Once in my area a new firehouse was preposed by the city and people actually came to a public hearing and raised holly hell about all the noise this would bring to their area. What? They built it anyway and it has caused no problems at all. Most were old people who would benefit from the medical services working out of that station. Many people just can't stand change. Their against what ever is being considered.

its a "wheel" waste of money,but its his money,so let him grease the wheels of the economy to get it done,i don't care too much for it but i do live on staten island ,and there is nothing much in that neighborhood anyway except a ferry terminal,baseball stadium ,court houses and a real scuzzy filthy NYPD 120 police station

redbundy you do realize that America didnt build the Statue of Liberty, only created the foundation for which it stands on. Big Ben, which i have seen personally is used for a purpose not just a building with a clock on it. So please get your facts correct before you post.

They just don't learn! How stupid can you be?

Why are people worried about wind? We have many ferris wheels in the area and none were knocked down during Sandy, or any other storm. If storms intensify in the future, then maybe. But as it is, no problem.

I find the location off. Who the hell builds on Staten Island?

It should double as a power producing water wheel and spin with the tides.

I was thinking they could tell people it could be used to scoop up the water and throw it back into the sea during the next storm surge perhaps saving the island!

• My display name says it all.

Terrible location, huh ?

It's being built 2 feet over the flood zone, and Sandy was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. In the meantime, the local businesses will see MUCH more revenue from the influx of visitors.

These naysayers should just STFU.

Exactly. Once in a lifetime means once in a life time. When was the last storm to hit the upper east coast before Sandy. They said that the flooding that occurred was a hundred year or more event. Sandy was an extremely rare event.

@Houstonite - my gawd, did you even go to school? "Hundred year storm" doesn't mane it occurs every hundred years - it means it is the most destructive category of storm. Potentially, they could occur not only every year but several times a year. I know the schools in Texas are bad, but if you're an example, they are truly useless.

Having been through three 500 year flooding events, ( statistically speaking, " probability to occur once in 500 years " ), a once in a lifetime event is statistically a 100 year storm event ( probability to occur once in 100 years ).

Once in a lifetime doesn't mean, once in your lifetime mathematically. Just like it is rare for the temperature for the day in your region to be the exact normal temperature for that day, that season. I'm a far cry from being 1500 years old, even though I've been in 3, 500 year class flooding events. Study some statistics so you understand the meaning of the language of probabilities!

they are building it in the "WU TANG CLAN" hood of SINY

Actually the developer lives right across the water at the bottom of Manhattan.

This is a private project and will provide jobs in construction and jobs to work it. This project was in the works before the storm and rebuilding from the storm includes economic development. You can't put every project on hold and hope that everything comes out for the good. Tragedies happen every year and everyone comes together to rebuild and bring back a semblance of 'normalcy'. It takes time, persistence and more than a one-sided approach.

FloridaMaggie, you are wrong. A "hundred year storm" should statistically occur every one-hundred years. It's a pretty simple concept. Before you go badmouthing an entire state, you should know what YOU are talking about. Doesn't say much for YOUR state, now does it.

And it's "mean", not "mane". Didn't you go to school?

Maybe Jeff means a terrible location, as to where it is. That area is a bit run down, and not convenient unless you are from the area. I would have chosen a better spot. But, I predict the project will wind up getting cancelled before then.

@steve Don't let all those brains run out of your head. So she got it wrong. We all can't be perfect like you.

Perfect location! No where near anywhere I plan to go!

you buy a car and most people drive it until it is done... you get your money's worth out of it. what's the difference?

Wow. If you're a female I would marry you on the spot for a comment like that. Actual common sense and belief in people having the right to do what they want with their own money? In this day and age? You are a rare bird indeed.

Most places would be thrilled but the Liberals in New York want more until he yells Uncle and moves it to the South

Staten Island is New York City's most Republican (and conservative) borough. The people complaining about the ferris wheel likely voted for Romney.

I'm with you on this one, compromise....100%

I doubt that most places would be "thrilled" to have a gargantuan ferris wheel erected on shoreline that is projected to incur more frequent storms with climate change. Some developers have way too much money to spend on frivolous fancies and lunatic ideas. I'm wondering if the ferris wheel wasn't second choice after his initial plan to erect a giant penis on the shoreline failed.

I guess you missed the part where this land was under four frickin' feet of water during the last storm. These storms are getting larger and more frequent. It's crazy enough to rebuild houses out there, let alone this monstrosity. I've never understood why anyone would build in a flood zone.

Well, I doubt that many people would be interested in riding a ferris wheel that was far inland. The main attraction of the huge ferris wheel will be the view.

So what if the area was under four feet of water? The water isn't the problem ... not being prepared for it is. If you design for storm surges (and anticipate that they will increase in height), there's no problem.

then don't ride it Eeyore!

you aren't even a glass half-full person... you are just a 'woes me' negative individual.

what about the view? the experience with a friend... oh whatever.. you wouldn't understand.

idiot. 'Nuff said.

It can be DISMANTELED.. Ms. Doomsday.

Ever heard of Carnivals? The largest traveling Ferris Wheel comes to Houston every year during the Houston Livestock Show n Rodeo. It is HUGE.

This is a 625-foot ferris wheel and not a lego toy. It can not be dismantled in a few days. The 625-foot ferris wheel is about 150 times more massive than the Houston traveling Ferris Wheel you are talking about.

It's HIS Money Lee. He can do what he wants with it.

Seems to me that investing in the area, creating jobs and new business will help rebuild the area.

lee-4178054, What you state is communist philosophy.

..that money could be better spent to help the people now...

That money is being provided by a private developer and his investors for a profit-making venture. If they're not permitted to build the project, they're not going to donate $500MM to local relief efforts!

Building the project will help local recovery efforts, not hinder them.

Janine,how many jobs is this developer going to create with a Ferris wheel?Believe it or not he's in it for his own gain and not the community.

they should just build a subway to manhattan next to it ,we got no rail connection to NYC on staten island, would be cool if the subway was connected to it though :P

Mark, I was waiting for a Staten Islander to ask, is this right by the Verizano? Midland Beach?

BUt he wants to build on PUBLIC land, you cretin - so the public has an interest and a say in his building. He can buy his own private land and then get a building permit to whatever he wants - but that shore line belongs to all the people (government), not just him.

JUST BECAUSE A RICH MAN WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING DOES NOT MEAN IT IS A GOOD IDEA. SO MANY OF YOU ON THIS THREAD SEEM TO WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF THE WEALTHY - IF THE MAN HAS MONEY, ANYTHING HE SAYS MUST BE DONE.

Maggie ... maybe you have additional information, but I don't see in the article where it says that the land is public? In most of the northeast, shoreline is privately held.

Barry, there are a few spots along the Staten Island shore owned by the Gateway National Recreation Area, same as Sandy Hook. But I don't know for sure where this plan is. Looks like the Midland Beach area, and if so then it is public.

TFNJ ... I should've qualified my statement as "most land" is privately held. Of course, even if the land is public, the question needs to be if the concept is a good one. It shouldn't be held hostage to Sandy relief efforts, because they're not connected.

Barry, I know what you were saying, and you are right. My post was actually a new conversation, its just that I'm still in a fog over New Years eve and not being very clear today. lol

You'll be dead in a couple years with those habits...