Pepsi will put its name on what is expected to be the largest Ferris wheel in the country, announcing a 10-year naming-rights agreement for the attraction in the New Jersey Meadowlands.
Still under construction, the 287-foot-tall attraction will be known as the “Pepsi Globe” and will be featured on 450 million beverage cans nationwide commemorating the wheel’s grand opening, currently slated for November 2008. Pepsi will distribute millions of “Pepsi Globe at Meadowlands Xanadu” throughout the tri-state New York area during subsequent years of the agreement.
Once the “Pepsi Globe” is completed, it will carry 26 cars holding 20 riders apiece on a 25-minute revolution and provide unique views of the New York City skyline and the Hudson River. The wheel will serve as a landmark and symbol for Meadowlands Xanadu, which promises to offer sports, leisure, shopping and family entertainment in a 2.3 million-square-foot facility.
“The Pepsi Globe is an iconic symbol that is reflective of our brand’s identity—bold, contemporary and fun,” said Pepsi-Cola North America senior vice president and chief marketing officer Cie Nicholson in a statement. “Having a visionary partner like Meadowlands Xanadu, who is delivering an unprecedented consumer experience that is environmentally responsible, makes this a tremendous collaboration.”
The Pepsi Globe will use recycled materials as part of its construction and will buy wind power credits from a Texas generating plant to offset some of the power needed to run the attraction.
Located in Bergen County NJ, near Giants Stadium, Continental Airlines Arena and the Meadowlands Racetrack, Meadowlands Xanadu will also offer live music performances, wraparound interactive video screens, a skydiving tower and what’s billed as “America’s first indoor snow dome”.
