The “observation wheel” could look similar to one pictured above in St. Louis, which was also built by Florida-based amusement company Icon Experiences. Credit: Shutterstock / Matthew Munsell
San Antonio’s Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC) on Wednesday unanimously granted conceptual approval to Florida-based Icon Experiences’ plans to build a 200-foot-tall observation wheel downtown.

Officials, including Centro San Antonio CEO Trish DeBerry, hope the project, dubbed “Grandismo,” will attract more tourists downtown while serving as an extension of Project Marvel, the city’s ambitious and pricy plan to develop a center-city sports and entertainment district. Icon Experiences’ proposal includes not just its towering Ferris wheel but a miniature golf course and dining space.

“I believe the investor group that has significant ties to San Antonio has done its due diligence in finding a location that is both appropriate for an entertainment asset of this magnitude and will be a draw for both tourists and residents to an area still in need of revitalization,” DeBerry wrote in a letter to City Council this week.

Developers have changed the site of the project three times since they first proposed constructing the San Antonio observation wheel last year.

Initially, the development group planned to build the complex in a lot near the Shops at River Center. However, they changed their minds and decided to shift it to East Houston Street. However, that site was also scrapped after state officials raised concerns that wheel would cast a late-afternoon shadow over the Alamo.

“While we welcome and encourage new developments, it is crucial that they maintain the visual perspectives that have defined the Alamo since 1724, and they support our desire to restore a sense of reverence to the area surrounding the historic grounds,” Alamo Visitor Center and Museum Executive Director Kate Rogers wrote in an April letter.

Icon Experiences now plans to build Grandisimo on a vacant parking lot near St. Paul’s Square at the intersection of Gonzales Street and Hoefgen Avenue.

Although the HDRC gave conceptual approval this week, Icon Experiences will still need to obtain final approval from the board in the coming months before they can break ground.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

This article appears in Jul 10-23, 2025.

Michael Karlis is a Staff Writer at the San Antonio Current. He is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., whose work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Orlando...