NOW AT 11.IT'S BEEN A SERIESOF UPS AND DOWNS - BUT NOW,AFTER YEARS OF WAITING,NEWPORT COULD SOON BE HOME TOITS OWN PERMANENT FERRISWHEEL.

THE CITY COMMISSIONJUST APPROVED A LEASE FOR ASKYWHEEL.9 ON YOUR SIDE'S KRISTENSWILLEY BREAKS DOWN WHAT COMESNEXT FOR THE PROJECT AND HOWFAMILIES ARE REACTING.THE SKYWHEEL WOULD GO JUSTNORTH OF THE NEWPORT AQUARIUMON THE RIVER SIDE OF THELEVEE... A MASSIVE PERMANENTATTRACTION THAT'S BEEN YEARSIN THE MAKING.

FAMILIES ISPOKE TO THINK IT'S JUST WHATTHE LEVEE NEEDS TO COMPETE.AN IDEA THAT ONCE FELT OUT OF RREACH..."I like Ferris Wheels."Wheels."IS NOW COMING FULL CIRCLE..."I love like going around andthey're so fun to get on."WITH THE SUN SCHEDULED TO SETON CINCINNATI'S 150-FOOTSKYSTAR THIS SUMMER, NEWPORT'S15 MILLION DOLLAR SKYWHEELCOULD SOON FILL THAT VOID ONTHE KENTUCKY SIDE OF THE RIVERWITH THIS 235-FOOT-TALLPERMANENT STRUCTURE....ANDDRAW PEOPLE TO THE LEVEE."I think people on dates, likeI know I went with my husbandthere and definitely kids."kids."THE CITY MANAGER TELLS 9 ONYOUR SIDE THE GROUND LEASEVOTED ON BY COUNCIL WAS THELAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLENEEDED BY THE ARMY CORPS OFENGINEERS.

PLANS FOR APERMANENT OBSERVATION WHEELHAVE BEEN IN THE WORKS FORNEARLY THREE YEARS, BUT HAD TOBE MODIFIED SO THE PROJECTWOULDN'T JEOPARADIZE THELEVEE'S FLOOD PROTECTION."Anything like that I thinkwould bring people back downto the levee."levee."THE HOPE IS THAT IT WILL BEMAJOR DRAW FOR PARENTS LIKEJACKIE JONES WHO WE METVISITING THE LEVEE FROMMEDORA, INDIANA FOR THE FIRSTTIME."You can have to be so tall toget on the rides and so to beable to get on their as afamily, it will be better."better."IT'S A PERMANENT FIXTURE THATFAMILIES BELIEVE WILL BRING INA CROWD FROM BOTH SIDES OF THERIVER.CINCINNATI'S TEMPORARY WHEELIS SCHEDULED TO COME DOWN THISSUMMER, JUNE 16TH, BUT ANOFFICIAL WITH THE REGIONALCHAMBER TELLS ME IT MAY STICKAROUND LONGER THAN THAT.REPORTING LIVE...KRISTENSWILLEY... 9 ON YOUR SID