Legs For Giant Staten Island Ferris Wheel Arrive From Italy

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Construction of what will be the biggest Ferris wheel in the world is taking a big step forward.

The legs for the New York Wheel have arrived.

Four legs, weighing 500 tons each, were delivered Tuesday at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

At 275-feet tall, the legs had to be cut in half before being shipped from Italy, CBS2 reported.

In a few weeks, they will be taken to Staten Island where the 60-story New York Wheel will eventually stand in St. George.

"From my eyes we've got about $300 million in the ground already," New York Wheel CEO Rich Marin said. "This marks the beginning of the vertical stage."

The so-called observation wheel is expected to have views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline.

Once it's complete in about 18 months, the wheel will not just be the biggest, but perhaps the strongest in the world, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported. It's designed to withstand a truck bomb or Category 3 hurricane.

The 550-foot-tall High Roller in Las Vegas currently holds the title of the world's tallest Ferris wheel.