Poll : 04 December - 17 December 2013

Analysis

With our office located in a prime viewing spot, we've been fortunate enough to watch this project's progress from the outset, and can only confess how impressed and excited we are; Anthony Curtis recently had a sneak peek up-close and personal, and was positively gushing about what he likened to a magnificent giant sculpture. Hence, we were somewhat taken aback, although not entirely shocked, to read so much feedback that ranged from indifferent to the positively hostile toward the High Roller; what surprised us even more, however, is the high proportion of voters who profess a fear of heights, which is way above the national average for acrophobia, said to affect 2 to 5 percent of the general population.

Anyhow, here are some of your comments (together with some of ours...):

• "An engineer from the project said there is virtually no emergency plan to get people off this ride if there is a power outage (so no A/C). No emergency equipment can reach the top of the ride to remove riders if stuck in a pod at the apex. He said he would not ride it himself. That is good enough for me." [Ed: We find this really hard to believe, with safety considerations and permits being what they are; the debut is being delayed in part because of rigorous tests currently being undertaken. Still, we do recall the plight of the two Japanese tourists who got stuck out on a limb -- quite literally -- for a considerable time, when a thrill ride atop the Stratosphere Tower turned out to get a little too thrilling during some unexpected high winds that precluded their rescue. Yikes!]
  
  
• "Sounds kind of boring. [Ed: Not if there's a power failure, evidently, haha!] We've seen the view and I'd rather use the money elsewhere. Besides, living in NYC, my apartment has a terrace that is higher and has a view that can't be beat - especially at night." [Ed: Sounds cool -- where's our invite?]
  
  
• "What an eyesore! Has ruined the look of the Strip! I hope it goes bankrupt and is dismantled! Looks like a cheap carnival has rolled into town! What are people thinking!?!?!?" [Ed: What, indeed? Bring back the Imperial Palace in all its magnificence, we say! May Fontainebleau remain forever in situ, in all its skeletal, decaying glory! And let's add another random, ill-proportioned tower onto Caesars, just for the helluvit! We're throwing in a 'Bah! Humbug!' just for good measure, too, because it's our column and it's Christmas, so there!]
  
  
• "I want to ride the High Roller to compare it to the London Eye. I've taken a ride on the Eye a few times and each time you see a different aspect of the city, depending on the time of day you ride it and which way you face. The fact that it goes slow enough (as will the High Roller) that you have plenty of photo ops, I see as being something that many will take advantage of more at sunset and/or during the evening than during the day. I will not pay over $40 to ride it, so hopefully they keep the cost down to that or below." [Ed: It's been creeping up like a 20th-century hemline and it's not even open yet, but the current guesstimate is $25, which sounds like a good place to stop at.]
  
  
• "I'd rather go up the Stratosphere. At least there I can get something to eat, catch a show, and play some." [Ed: Fair enough. Sort of: Don't forget the High Roller is a centerpiece of the Linq, which is all about dining and drinking, and is flanked on either side by casinos. Just sayin'...]
  
  
• "I'm a local and I'll probably end up riding it when friends or family are visiting."
  
  
• "Depends – Is there drink service and a bathroom? 30 minutes in Vegas without either could be a real buzz-kill." [Ed: Unlikely in both instances, but as you're evidently hardcore, may we suggest a hip flask and a catheter?]
  
  
• "I would definitely WANT to ride it, but the high price may prevent me from going on it. Unless of course you get a 2-for-1 coupon in the MRB ;)" [Ed: That would be great, but it won't even be open in time for our print deadline. Fingers crossed for next year ... or maybe an MRO :-)]
  
  
• "I definitely plan on riding it at least once. If it goes much above the $30 range, it will probably only be once unless they can give patrons a reason to ride it again. If they give discounts for Total Rewards Diamond and Seven Star players, or give a coupon when you check in to Caesars' properties, that will help. I like the Eiffel Tower Experience and recommend it to new visitors, but I've only gone up twice (both times with people who hadn't been). I expect I'll take a similar stance on the High Roller unless it can offer something more than just an observation capsule."
  
  
• "Heck no, I won't get on that thing, even when they let us employees take a free ride first. I love roller coasters, but that thing scares the bejeezus out of me."
  
  
• "I can't make a choice without knowing more - how much it costs, the hours it runs, how tightly packed the cars are, how fast does it go, how many times you go around, how long it takes to wait in line, and how long it takes to go around. And are there chairs or benches in those things? Standing around with a bunch of strangers doesn't sound fun, especially if they are in the way of the views. And that's assuming they have air conditioning . . . I know I will go on it at least once to find out; after that, as a local, I think it will be something to do when friends come to town (if they aren't afraid of heights ;) Thanks for asking!" [Ed: To answer some of those questions, allow us to refer you to the High Roller fact sheet.]
  
  
• "I could be wrong but the location doesn't appear to be the best for views up and down the Strip. My guess is that for at least half the ride you will be behind and below Bills and the Flamingo and will not have a view of anything facing Las Vegas Blvd until your pod is at the highest point on the wheel. Not appealing to me. Besides, it's just one more enterprise that takes resources away from gambling."