200-foot-tall Ferris wheel opens at St. Louis Union Station

ST. LOUIS -- A new and colorful attraction is now open in downtown St. Louis -- a 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel.

The St. Louis Wheel opened Monday at Union Station, where a new aquarium complex is expected to open in December.

The Ferris wheel lights up with 1.6 million LED lights. It includes 42 climate-controlled gondolas that can hold up to eight people each. Rides last about 15 minutes and cost $15 for adults and $10 for children.

The redevelopment of the former train station complex also includes an 18-hole mini-golf course, a carousel and an old-fashioned soda fountain.

Union Station for years housed a shopping mall. But its popularity waned, prompting redevelopment into an aquarium and other attractions.