The Wheel at ICON Park renamed The Orlando Eye under new ownership

The Wheel at ICON Park renamed The Orlando Eye

Merlin Entertainments announced on Monday it has purchased The Wheel at ICON Park and renamed it The Orlando Eye, its original name when it first opened in 2015.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A popular Orlando attraction is going back to its roots.

Merlin Entertainments announced on Monday that it has purchased The Wheel at ICON Park and renamed it The Orlando Eye, which was its original name when it first opened in 2015.

The entertainment company is also behind The London Eye in the United Kingdom. Merlin Entertainment's fifth attraction in Florida joins LEGOLAND, Peppa Pig Theme Park, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds Orlando.

Photo: Merlin Entertainments

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"We successfully built and developed it into a famous Orlando landmark, and now welcome The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments as one of our outstanding ICON Park tenants," ICON Park President and CEO Chris Jaskiewicz said in a press release. "We’re proud that Merlin recognized the global appeal of this attraction, and of ICON Park as a destination, in selecting us as the site to expand their popular brands in Central Florida."

The 400-foot-tall attraction – which is the tallest observation attraction on the East Coast – offers visitors 360-degree views of Orlando, including nearby theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, downtown Orlando, and Kennedy Space Center.

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When the attraction opened in 2015, it was called the Orlando Eye. Then, it was renamed to the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye and ICON Orlando before its most recent name, The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando.