The Observation Wheel at the Central Harbourfront could start coming down as soon as Thursday, as the former tenant is set to begin the two-month process of removing the wheel and its foundation before returning the emptied land to the government by October’s end.
The news came about a week after the ride’s sudden closure last Tuesday following the expiry of the lease for the venue.
The Ferris wheel’s original operator, Swiss AEX, on Monday told local media it was shocked to have lost the bid for the new tender and questioned the legitimacy of tender winner TECL, which it said has never proved it has the available funds to continue operating the Ferris wheel, Now TV reported.
But Secretary for Development Michael Wong was quick to smack down the accusation, saying TECL had won the new tender legitimately and was a qualified and experienced Ferris wheel operator.
A spokesperson for the Development Bureau today told local media that TECL had earlier agreed to either continue running the current ride or build a new one 55 meters in height (the current edition is 60-meters tall), adding that the company had already paid its first six months’ rent. However, if it wants to continue operating the existing wheel, it will need to work out an agreement with Swiss AEX, which built it.
The spokesman added that the city will play no role in any commercial negotiations involving the potential sale of the Observation Wheel.
Paul Zimmerman, founder of Designing Hong Kong, a non-profit organization that advocates better urban design, told Coconuts Hong Kong on Monday that demolishing the current Observation Wheel only to replace it with a new one would represent “a big waste of resources.”
Zimmerman, who is also a district councillor for Pokfulam, also cast doubt on whether the government had “adjusted” the terms of the tender to accommodate its new tenant. According to Zimmerman, while the language of the lease technically requires TECL to operate a Ferris wheel of at least 55 meters in height on the site, there are no built in financial penalties should they not. He went on to urge the government to either extend the lease with Swiss AEX or have a “fair” tender.
Coconuts visited the ride between the Central Pier No.9 and No.10 this afternoon, and met with many who said that the Ferris wheel should be kept unchanged, including a group of student’s from England’s University of Manchester, who were visiting the city for an orientation camp.
“It’s a pity if it’s going to be removed, as it has become such an icon of Hong Kong,” said one male student who declined to give his name.
However, a local resident, who would offer only his surname, Chan, said if the rebuilt Ferris wheel was more beautiful that the old one, it might prove a boost to Hong Kong tourism.
Workers employed by Swiss AEX at the venue told Coconuts the company had yet to inform them of plans for the future or if they would still have jobs should the ride be torn down.
