Texas Star

For other uses, see Texas Star (disambiguation).

Texas Star Ferris Wheel
Height	212 feet (64.6 m)[1][2]
Weight	678,554 pounds (308,434 kg)
Cost	$2.2 million[3]

Texas Star is the tallest Ferris wheel in North America.^[1][4] It is located at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, and operates during the annual State Fair of Texas,^[2] where it is the most popular ride.^[4]

The structure has an overall height of 212 feet (64.6 m) (approximately 21 stories) and can carry up to 264 passengers in its 44 gondolas.^[5] It will be superseded as the tallest Ferris wheel in North America if the proposed 286-foot (87 m) Pepsi Globe proposed for American Dream Meadowlands, in New Jersey, is constructed.

The Texas Star illuminated at night

The Texas Star Ferris wheel was built by SDC Corp. in Reggio Emilia, Italy, at a cost of $2.2 million.^[3] It was then shipped to Dallas for its debut at the 1985 State Fair of Texas.^[6] The Texas Star requires a staff of 18 employees. The view is one of the things that entices people to ride on it.^[7] On a clear day, you can see the Fort Worth skyline, which is 45 miles (72 km) away. It can go 1.5 revolutions a minute^{[citation needed]} with an average ride time of 12–15 minutes.

During the fair, the Texas Star was, from 1985 to 2007, lit up at night by 16,000 incandescent red, white, and blue turbolites.^[8] In 2008, the incandescent system was replaced with a longer-lasting, more energy-efficient LED lighting system.^[9]

The Texas Star is owned by Barbara Brown and her brother, Mike Sandefur.^[10][11]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Heingartner, Douglas (July 28, 2007). "The Bigger Ferris Wheels Get, the More Cash Flows". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/28/business/28wheels.html. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "General Information". BigTex.com. http://www.bigtex.com/generalinfo/facts/. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "State Fair Fact". Dallas Morning News. September 30, 2005. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Weiss, Jeffrey (October 6, 1994). "Riding high; At 212 feet, Texas Star Ferris wheel remains a top thrill for fairgoers". Dallas Morning News. 
5. ^ McLeese, Don (October 5, 1996). "Sights, sounds and smells of 110-year-old Texas tradition marvel for all ages Texas State". Austin American-Statesman. 
6. ^ Halford, Bob (August 2, 1985). "Giant Ferris wheel called Texas Star to rise at Fair Park". Dallas Morning News. 
7. ^ "A ride with a view". Dallas Morning News. October 16, 1991. 
8. ^ Wilson, Janet (September 15, 2002). "Happy Birthday, Big Tex". Austin American-Statesman. 
9. ^ "The lights just got brighter at Dallas landmark, the Texas Star" (Press release). State Fair of Texas. September 18, 2008. http://216.197.122.150/ns/PressRelease/ViewPressRelease.asp?PRelId=87. 
10. ^ "Barbara Brown, co-owner of the Texas Star". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 25, 1998. 
11. ^ Wertheimer, Linda K. (October 20, 2002). "The 'Star' of the State Fair; Popular Ferris wheel has been a family attraction since 1985". Dallas Morning News. 

Coordinates: 32°46′36″N 96°45′33″W / 32.776738°N 96.759269°W / 32.776738; -96.759269