333-Foot Wheel Could Interfere With TEB Traffic
A giant Ferris wheel a
developer wants to build at the Xanadu entertainment complex in New
Jersey will hamper air traffic safety at Teterboro Airport, (TEB)
according to a determination by the Federal Aviation
Administration.
The Xanadu developer has two choices: make the 33-story wheel
smaller, or convince the FAA it will not interfere with Teterboro
flights.
"Colony Capital Acquisitions' engineers will work with
regulators so the wheel complies with safety standards, even if it
means a smaller one," said company spokesman Tim White to North
Jersey Media Group.
White said despite the determination, New Jerseyans should
expect to see it spinning when the $2 billion shopping and
entertainment complex opens in November 2008.
FAA officials told Colony developers they would only allow
a wheel no taller than 190 feet. Any structure taller than 286 feet
would have a "substantial adverse effect" to the air safety of
aircraft flying in and out of Teterboro, only three miles from the
proposed location.
"We don't have any legal authority to stop a company from
building a structure, but the majority of the time, they take our
determinations very seriously," FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac
said.
The FAA has also said a 289 foot-tall roller coaster at Xanadu
would be hazardous to air safety. Colony earlier said they scrapped
plans for the roller coaster, but asked the FAA in July to study
its effects on air traffic.
Officials with the New Jersey Sports Authority and Exposition,
who approved Xanadu for construction, were not aware of any FAA
objections.
"There is no doubt that if the FAA has concerns about the height
of anything at Xanadu, then that has to be looked at and
addressed," Goldberg said.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association spokesman Chris Dancy
weighed in on the giant ride, saying the organization opposes it if
wheel does not meet FAA standards.
"Such structures would likely alter how aircraft approach and
depart Teterboro, which might lead to a reduction in the amount of
traffic. Less traffic at Teterboro would mean more landings and
takeoffs at the metropolitan area's major hubs, which are already
stressed," Dancy said. "There is really not a lot of leeway in
reconfiguring departures and arrivals."
The nearly 400-foot wheel's proposed location is in proximity of
three of the nation's busiest airports. Xanadu developers,
realizing this, told regulators to study its impact on air
safety.
Xanadu's developers bill the wheel as the largest in North
America, and tout it as one of the attractions that help
distinguish the complex from a mega mall. One time around the wheel
with a view of New York City would take about 25 minutes.
Some local residents are happy with the FAA determination. Lane
Viviano fears losing sight of the Manhattan skyline from his
condominium if the 333-foot Ferris wheel is allowed to be
constructed.
"They want to pollute the sky with this structural graffiti," he
said. "It's another form of air pollution, if you think about
it."
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