2008 Opening and 2009 Closure
The wheel first opened to the public on 20 December 2008, two years behind schedule. Its most recently postponed opening ceremony, scheduled for 28 November 2008, had been cancelled due to bad weather and delays in procuring parts.
On 30 January 2009, 40 days after opening, the wheel was shut down indefinitely after structural defects, including buckling and cracks, were detected. The operators initially blamed the 2009 Southeastern Australia heat wave for causing the damage. It was not known when the wheel would reopen.
Upon further investigation, engineers working on the wheel discovered the cracks were not caused by the heatwave but rather a problem in the original design. Fourteen cracks were found in the steel.
An undated press release on the operator's official website stated: "The Southern Star Observation Wheel was temporarily closed in January 2009. As a result of extensive design and technical reviews a conclusion was reached to build a new wheel."
Read more about this topic: The Southern Star (observation Wheel)
Famous quotes containing the word opening:
““Who are you,” said the caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then.””
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)