Dresden: Bankruptcies, Bad Luck & Breakdowns, and a Ferris Wheel

A striking tourist attraction was opened on 11 August next to the time-honoured central railway station of Dresden: a 60-metre high Ferris wheel, an “R 60” from Ronald Bussink Professional Rides with 42 gondolas including a luxurious VIP gondola with five seats. A few days after the ride opened, however, employees simply forgot four passengers who were still on the ride, leaving them to wait 90 whole minutes before they were “rescued”. Sometime later – as reported – voltage fluctuations led to a malfunction that shut down the ride for a number of days. The “Dresden giant” was originally supposed to operate at the central station until Easter 2007. Because of a disagreement between the operator (World Tourist Attractions Germany GmbH, Kornwestheim) and the premises’ landlord, the last spin on the Ferris wheel was taken on the 22nd of October already, as reported by regional media. With a bit more luck on its new premises next spring, the ride will hopefully come in for new (e)motion. (eap)