Downtown Tampa’s southeastern skyline—marked by Channelside’s high-rises, an aquarium, and often, a cruise ship—could include a 250-foot observation wheel by 2026.
Last month, Tampa developer Tony Miller announced plans to build what he refers to as an “observation wheel” on a third-of-an acre in Tampa’s Channel District, next to The Florida Aquarium and across from Port Tampa Bay. The wheel, dubbed Tampa WOW! (Wheel over Water), has a $20 million price tag, which Miller says will be privately funded.
“Tampa WOW! isn’t just about the view,” Miller said in a press release. “It’s about creating a world-class family destination and energizing downtown with new opportunities for connection and engagement.”
Miller—who also hopes to open Pasco’s Peak Surf Park in 2027—also claims his proposal was met with an “overwhelmingly positive” community response, citing statements of support from Visit Tampa Bay President & CEO Santiago Corrada and President and CEO of The Florida Aquarium Roger Germann.
And since the proposed wheel would come at no cost to the City of Tampa, community response is Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak’s number one priority.
“I really think it’s going to depend on what the neighborhood wants,” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “Because when you do something like that in a community, generally, I’m interested in knowing what the community’s concerns are and how this particular developer plans on answering any of these concerns.”
For Garrett Greco, a fifth-generation Tampeno and host of the Tampa Bay Developer Podcast, the wheel would be an interesting amenity, a big and bold idea—which he wants to see more of in his hometown—but is ultimately uninspired.
“I think, Tampa, as we grow and develop, is really trying to search for and hold on to its identity,” Greco said. “We are not Orlando, we are not Miami, we don’t want to become those places, right? We have our own culture and our own story here and the Ferris wheel is not unique and so because it’s not unique, I don’t think people are that excited about it.”
When Greco posted about the proposal on his platform, his audience’s reaction mirrored this sentiment.
“No,” an Instagram user commented.
“Hate this. Nothing screams tourist like that. Do not act like International Drive,” another comment read, alluding to Orlando’s attraction-riddled boulevard.
“Yall are sooooo bored, why not just add a city rollercoaster that takes you around i-4 and i-75,” another user wrote.
Some loved the idea but questioned the wheel’s location.
“Can’t wait to get scenic views of carnival cruise lines and the shipyard full of toxic waste 😍,” a comment read.
Tampa architect and designer Tobin Green told CL that for a city that is “on the come-up,” the wheel does not align with the direction of Tampa’s evolving cityscape.
“We’re working really hard to boost our skyline, make beautiful buildings, and really build up our area,” Green said. “We have a whole center of our state called Orlando, Florida, that is perfect for that stuff. We don’t need it here.”
Green also echoes the notion that the wheel is cliché.
“The Ferris wheel has been done plenty of times, and sure, if you want to look at it as a tourist attraction moneymaker, maybe it’s viable. But I don’t even think that works,” he said.
While Patrick Manteiga, third-generation publisher of Tampa’s trilingual newspaper La Gaceta, thinks the wheel will be an interesting addition to Tampa, he estimates that it is more for tourists than Tampa residents.
“I assume it will be popular when it’s first here and I assume that some out-of-towners or some overly rich Tampanians will get on it,” Manteiga told CL. “I can’t imagine my family getting on it or my grandkids getting on it more than once or twice every year.
Manteiga also cautions the City of Tampa to consider the proposal with a fine-tooth comb to avoid “unintended consequences.”
Because for him, the real question lies in what happens years down the road.
“You’re telling me that you believe this lease is going to be set up so that 10 years from now they can’t say, ‘We’re tearing down the Ferris wheel because it’s not economically feasible. But since we have this lease, we’re going to build a building there,’” he said.
The wheel is still subject to the Tampa City Council’s approval. The proposal is set to go before the council for discussion on Oct. 9 and again on Oct. 23.
“I’m not saying that Tampa is trying to be the most sophisticated city or anything like that. I’m just saying we’re trying to build ourselves up and in the right direction,” Green said. “I just think that a Ferris wheel is a bad look in a city trying to do cool new things.”
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