Tampa City Council Gives Green Light to 250-Foot Observation Wheel Project for Downtown

City leaders backed a $20 million wheel attraction that will tower 250 feet above Tampa's Channelside District. The structure will stand in a lot beside the Florida Aquarium, facing the cruise port.

A firm called Tampa Bay Wheel LLC will transport an existing wheel from Munich. The attraction, dubbed Wheel Over Water (WOW!), should start spinning by late 2026, roughly 12 months after final permits clear.

Visitors will step into one of 27 climate-controlled capsules. Each pod offers views stretching across Tampa's skyline. Similar attractions spin in cities like Las Vegas and Orlando.

Miller put local minds at ease about potential disruptions. "The wheel is whisper quiet. The mechanics of this are very quiet. All the people are inside in enclosed pods, so the noise of this type of attraction is not going to impede upon the residents," he stated.

"Our audience is the people that are already here. We're looking to extend and enhance the experience of those people. We are not anticipating that we are adding to those traffic issues," said lead developer Tony Miller, according to Fox 13 News.

This project marks another step in Tampa's waterfront makeover. The wheel aims to pull more visitors to an area already buzzing with cruise ships and marine life exhibits.

Workers will reshape the existing lot to fit the new attraction. The project team plans to work with city staff on traffic solutions both during construction and after opening.

The approval follows extensive public input and technical reviews. Staff checked safety measures, studied environmental effects, and mapped out traffic patterns before voting yes.

Ground work starts in early 2026. The wheel parts will arrive from Munich by summer, with crews racing to complete assembly before winter sets in.