15 Responses to “Last Day For Pensacola Beach Observation Wheel”

1. Mr. Man on June 16th, 2013 11:04 am

   @ Molino Jim. I been over to mobile before several times to that cruise ship port. The location is horrible. It’s like an industrial park with no eye appealing sites. It was only a people loading dock for carnival cruise line. Location is a key element for the tourist industry. However if the same was done near the port of Pensacola it would probably be a different story. In mobile it’s like looking at a junk yard as you sail thru mobile bay to get to the Gulf of Mexico to get to your destination in Mexico or the Bahamas. Try that from Pensacola I bet the initial sight seeing from leaving port of Pensacola would be different ie. NAS , Fort Pickens, beautiful white sand beached then out to sea. As they say in the real estate business; it’s all about location. So I still think Pensacola would have a good chance of carrying a cruise ship port and it would succeed unless the city or county government screw it up. Again take a look at the nicer ports. They look nothing like the port or mobile. Molino Jim I do get your point but I think it would work in Pensacola.

2. ???? on June 16th, 2013 8:30 am

   I’m confused. Was this supposed to be a temporary attraction or, did they just not make enough money to keep it?

3. Paul Alexander on June 16th, 2013 8:04 am

   took diff. family on it twice,great time,thought it should have been downtown tho… even took our disabled neiggbor in it… he was slightly scared at first,but loved it at the top view and would hav rode it the next time we were out

4. Eric on June 15th, 2013 7:51 pm

   Knew it wouldn’t last. Next up to fail is the baseball park. Both were complete wastes of money and neither will last.

5. FP on June 15th, 2013 7:17 pm

   I wonder how they are going to move it? Probably dismantle it. May DHG knows.

6. molino jim on June 15th, 2013 2:11 pm

   @Mr Man & Don– take a ride over to Mobile and look at the cruise ship docking port. The City of Mobile dumped a ton of money into the dock, then the cruise line pulled out. The City of Mobile will be years trying to pay off the bonds that were issued for this project. Remember this is Escambia County where we are already in bad financial shape and when the Justice Department makes the county do the up grades for the jail we will be in worse shape.

7. Mr. Man on June 15th, 2013 1:16 pm

   Don you are absolutely right. Starting with hotels being booked full year round, airports getting more passenger wanting to go on a cruise, and building a six story parking garage in the area of the Ecua property with an average of $80 to park per car per cruise. Revenue for the city? And more jobs? I think yes. And you don’t have to travel overseas to Pensacola sister city to see that on the taxpayers tab. Just drive to Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and other cruise ship ports to get some ideas. Oh!! That makes to much sense for Pensacola thinking and city government.

8. told ya so on June 15th, 2013 12:43 pm

   WOW Knew that wasnt going to last long….SHOULD HAVE JUST PUT A PARKING GARAGE UP. What a waste. Good call on that one JMQ

9. Bd on June 15th, 2013 10:25 am

   Good riddance. A complete waste but then again, so is the island “authority”

10. Delta Zelda on June 15th, 2013 10:17 am

    The maritime park was the dream of Admiral John Fetterman, Retired. The local movers and shakers were unable to resist the fairy dust Fetterman sprinkled on them. Remember an artist’s rendering of the compledted project in the News-Journal several years ago? See what’s there now: Quint Studer’s ball park. Just another old admiral’s dream of grandeur paid for by the gullable city taxpayers.

11. BPD on June 15th, 2013 7:43 am

    That didn’t last too long.

12. scott on June 15th, 2013 7:40 am

    Remember the water slide. Excluding the eateries, other for-pay ventures seems to have a very short life at Pensacola Beach.

13. Don on June 15th, 2013 5:51 am

    What a lame idea to begin with,same with the so-called “maritime park” a baseball field dedicated to the maritime industry? Seem’s any toy the “ol boy’s” want to play with is allowed then they get bored with them,Why not a cruise terminal,that’s maritime related,and all of the fine downtown restaurants would flourish,as well as the other local businesses….

14. Brian on June 15th, 2013 5:20 am

    Can’t understand why nobody wanted t ride it at ONLY $15 a ride. What a bargain it was.

15. roxie63 on June 15th, 2013 12:57 am

    Went tonight with some friends, had the best time! I really hate to see it go.