Towering 250-foot Ferris wheel could come to downtown Tampa

By Anastasia Dawson
| 4:19 p.m. September 22, 2025
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Located on 1/3 of an acre in the Channel District neighborhood just to the north of The Florida Aquarium, Tampa WOW! would feature state-of-the-art, climate-controlled gondolas offering 20 to 30 minute rides.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

Visitors to Tampa’s Channel District could soon get a bird's eye view of downtown from atop a 250-foot-tall observation Ferris wheel, if approved by city council.

Tampa City Council will soon consider plans from developer Tony Miller to build the waterfront attraction he calls the Tampa WOW!, which stands for Wheel Over Water, just north of the Florida Aquarium overlooking the cruise ships.

Much like the London Eye or The Wheel at Icon Park in Orlando, the Tampa WOW! would feature climate-controlled gondolas and each ride would last 20 to 30 minutes. The base of the wheel would include a concession stand offering food and beverages, as well as a luggage storage area for cruise ship passengers.