Keelung mayor unveils plan to build Ferris wheel next year

Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) on Tuesday revealed his plan to build a Ferris wheel in the city's downtown area, in a bid to promote tourism in northern Taiwan.

The tourist attraction, which is set to be located in a plaza between Keelung Harbor and the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA) Keelung Station, is expected to have a diameter between 40 and 60 meters, Hsieh said in a media briefing.

While the cost of the Ferris wheel was not immediately clear, Hsieh said, "additional funds will be allocated" to the project, which will replace the temporary amusement facilities the city government is planning to construct later this year in the same area.

It is hoped that the Ferris wheel will become a popular landmark in northern Taiwan and contribute to local tourism, in a similar way to how the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel does in Japan's Port of Yokohama, he said.

The city government will also develop a business operating model, including a charging scheme, for the Ferris wheel service, and will aim to allocate specific time slots for Keelung residents to visit, Hsieh said.