Stratosphere Tower

Stratosphere towers are located on the Las Vegas Strip for a great choice for Las Vegas travel. They are actually a collection of a tower, hotel and a casino and owned by Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds. They are an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & cooperation. The towers were purchased along with three other properties with the sale of American Casino and entertainment properties on February 21, 2008.

The sale was closed at an astounding $1.3 billion. The Stratosphere towers are 1149 ft or 350 m high. Originally proposed to be 1800 ft or above their size was scaled down due to consideration for flights of McCarran International Airport.

Although scaled down again and again, it is still the tallest free standing observation tower in United States of America besides being the second tallest in the entire Western Hemisphere. It is also the second tallest building, which is free standing on the west of the Mississippi river.

The tower is a major tourist attraction and supports two observation decks, three thrill rides and a revolving restaurant. The thrill rides include Big Shot, which at 1081 feet is the highest thrill ride in the world. Insanity the Ride that opened in 2005 and is the second highest thrill ride in the world. Standing at 900 feet it dangles the riders at the edge of tower before spinning them in a circular pattern at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. It also has the third highest thrill ride in the world known as XSCREAM.

Following its completion in 1996, it was one not a huge hit immediately because of its rather less than prime location at the extreme north end of the strip. However with the ever-growing Las Vegas and its equidistant location from the popular casinos as well as downtown area has led to increase in its popularity. Besides the fact that you can enjoy three of the world’s most thrilling rides at the same place drive flocks of people to stratosphere towers day and night.