An inside look at the New York Wheel

Estimated year of the opening for the wheel, currently under construction on Staten Island's North Shore, close to the St. George Ferry Terminal and Borough Hall.

Take the top of the Manhattan Municipal Building and add 50 feet. This height will make it the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, dwarfing the famous 443-foot London Eye. It will also be taller than any building in Staten Island or across the Narrows in Brooklyn.

That’s 36 passenger pods on the wheel with 40 people per pod for a total of 1,440 riders per rotation – roughly equivalent to a busy C train.

Estimated price of one ride on the wheel – not much more than a $32 ticket to get to the top of One World Trade Center, and less than the $52 ticket to access the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building.

Expected number of yearly riders, not far behind the 4.2 million visitors to the Statue of Liberty last year and more than the 2.5 million who visit Top of the Rock.

The total cost of the North Shore development anchored by the wheel, which includes an outlet mall, a hotel and housing.

Expected duration of a ride on the wheel. Supporters say the wheel will give visitors a great reason to stay longer on the island than the five minutes until the next ferry leaves.

Annual new ferry passengers expected as a result of the new North Shore development – a big jump from the estimated 1.8 million tourists riding each year, but a blip in the total 22 million yearly round trips.

Capacity of the privately owned, publicly accessible lawn that will top the wheel’s parking lot. The developers hope to build a children’s playground and host concerts with a view of the bay.