There is nothing like it on the Las Vegas Strip.
“There is not a better place to visit than the High Roller,” said Eric Eberhart, General Manager of The High Roller Observation Wheel. “You don’t get a full 360-degree view anywhere else.”
As we approach the five-year anniversary of the High Roller. We sat down with the man who has been at the attraction since the beginning, Eberhart.
“In 2011, I ran into an acquaintance who told me about the project, an observation wheel in Las Vegas,” Eberhart said. He jumped at the opportunity to get involved.
Eberhart brought years of attraction experience to Caesars Entertainment.
He lived in Orlando when Disney opened and started working for the company in high school.
“I spent 26 years at Disney,” said Eberhart. He started as a ride operator then moved on to management then to design and construction, where he landed one of his all-time favorite roles at Disney Imagineering.
Eberhart left Disney in 2000 but continued his work through consulting. At one point, he ended up in Romania consulting for an attraction. Fast forward to 2011 and Eberhart found himself involved in discussions on what the attraction should be.
He said there were discussions of having the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster but after eliminating that the team landed on an observation wheel. The team working on the concept knew they wanted to do things differently.
The team came up with a creative design for the wheel by rotating it on one bearing instead of two, limiting intrusion so guests can enjoy the floating 360-degree view, and keeping its rotation continuous.
“It has become an icon of Las Vegas,” said Eberhart. It is featured on art, Las Vegas memorabilia, and you can find it pictured on the jumbotron at Vegas Golden Knights games.
Eberhart said he knew the High Roller would be popular but he did not expect it to be where it is now.
“People see the High Roller like how they see the Eiffel Tower in Paris,” he said.
The High Roller is a unique experience for guests, it’s the tallest observation wheel in the world at 550 feet.
Guests can enjoy the “Happy Half Hour” where your ticket includes an open bar for the 30-minute ride.
“The demand for the Happy Half Hour experience surpassed our expectations,” said Eberhart. Now, he has bars for 20 of the 28 cabins…the only thing stopping him from offering it in all cabins: “more bars.”
At the High Roller, guests can also enjoy a chocolate and wine pairing, Yoga in the Sky, or exchange wedding vows.
Eberhart said some people are using the High Roller for gender reveals.
“There are 2000 LED lights around the rim,” he said. So, not only can they light it for a reveal but the lights coincide with holidays, events to raise awareness, and to show solidarity during times of mourning.
The landscape around the High Roller between Flamingo Las Vegas and The LINQ Hotel & Casino is evolving.
Along with new retailers and dining experiences, guests can take in the sights high above the ground on FLY LINQ, the Strip’s only zip line.
If you haven’t been to the High Roller, Eberhart suggests going at the beginning of your trip to the Las Vegas Strip or towards the end. Why? Because you can see where everything is upfront or reminisce about your trip before you leave.
