The new helium-filled air balloon has officially opened. It is called Aerophile Singapore. It offers pretty good 360 degree views.

Here are some pics:

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1480/sba8tb.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/910/sbc8fh.jpg

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3220/sb130ta.jpg

Views:

Skyline of the financial district
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB7.jpg

Suntec City & Marina Centre
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB17.jpg

Overlooking Rochor, Bugis
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB1.jpg

Overlooking Bencoolen & Orchard in the distance
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB2.jpg

It goes higher than Parkview Square
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB3.jpg

and the Gateway
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB4.jpg

Conservation Districts with the red shophouse roofs:

Kampong Glam
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB6.jpg

Little India. Novena in the background and Johor Bahru (Malaysia) in the far distance.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB10.jpg

Future golf course at Marina East
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB5.jpg

Some landmarks:
The National Library (bottom left) & Museum (in the middle)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB8.jpg

The Istana in the middle of this pic (Cairnhill in the distance and the island's highest point, Bukit Timah Hill)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB9.jpg

Another look at the National Library
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB16.jpg

Raffles City Complex
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB15.jpg

Looking down Beach Road
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB14.jpg

A truly very different perspective of the buildings… especially the national library, Parkview square and gateway…

Wow.....truly refreshing.....how much is the ride?? :?

shaky or not?
How long is the $23 ride? Understand that it cost $23 for a single ride

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/SB3.jpg

Do you have a bigger res one ? ^ ^
Say you do ^ ^
Please ^ ^

@Pengui, I'll email it to you if you like :)

Its not shaky...quite smooth actually except at liftoff.

The standard ride costs $23, although check the newspapers for a discount voucher that if you present will be $16.

The view at night is especially spectacular :)

Nice views.

but, raining now.... think not going.

Wow...very nice view, I'll try it once I visiting there again this year end.

How thrilling, Raffi! :cool:

Thank you for these photos, they are excellent and give a great overview of Singapore. :okay:

I never realized Malaysia (Johor Bahru) is that close! :eek:

@Pengui, I'll email it to you if you like :)


I like ^ ^
The email address in my profile should be working :-)
Thank you very much ^ ^ Me likey ^ ^

Big improvement, Bugis used to has only transvestites. :lol:

Bugis flyover
View Singapore, 150m from the ground

Juliana June Rasul
julianar@newstoday.com.sg

Up, up and away on the DHL balloon?
.
Well, "away" might be stretching it — the trip is straight up and down — but there's no denying this $2 million addition to the list of Singapore tourist attractions delivers a high. A 150m high, to be exact.
.
Offering a 360-degree view of Singapore (and even some Malaysian hills in the distance), this gigantic yellow balloon — which opened for business in Bugis on Thursday and is touted as the world's largest tethered helium balloon — will no doubt leave most passengers pre-occupied with their camera viewfinders.
.
And well they should be. Once the balloon rises to its 40-storey peak altitude, there is little that can't be seen.
.
Suntec City and the Swissotel Stamford (one of the tallest hotels in the world) immediately catch the eye, but the rest of Singapore — skyscrapers and HDB blocks alike — seems to spread out before passengers' eyes like an empire for the taking.
.
There are some key things missing from this attraction, however.
.
Though the view is certainly breathtaking, it's doubtful whether many tourists will actually know what they're looking at.
.
A tourist guide to point out interesting sights would be helpful, as would some high-powered binoculars.
.
During the descent, when the panoramic scenery and lulling breeze are no longer there to absorb passengers, the 10-minute experience starts to feel a little too brief and unsatisfying for an adult ticket that is priced at $23. Children's tickets cost $13.
.
Nonetheless, Aerophile Balloon manager Agnes Shew is confident that it won't just be tourists who are drawn to the attraction.
.
It is looking at offering special rates for Singaporeans from time to time.
.
It's not a cable car ride to Sentosa.
.
It's not a reverse bungee fling at Clarke Quay.
.
But the DHL balloon is unique in its own way — it offers a serene and scenery-rich experience that may be the perfect antidote to stress for overworked Singaporeans.

Thanks! It is definitely a must try, besides the 70th floor bar from the Swissotel.

@SEAFan...indeed...Singapore is really quite a small country! :D

Strongly agree with the article. The ride isnt too short...but would be cool if they stayed up just a bit longer, but there is more than enough time to snap several pics. Its truly spectacular at night though, really mesmerizing...and the Istana can be quite clearly seen, lit up.

Definitely a stress-reliever of sorts!

I managed some panoramas up there:

SCROLL ---->

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/balloonpano2.jpg

Another one

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/balloonpano.jpg

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!I didn't know it existed!!!!

Must go one day!

I love your gateway pic, raffie

^ Wah nice pano......:cool:

The balloon was quite popular it seems......quite crowded.....:yes:

Looking at it from Singapore River
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5574/dsc01633qg.jpg

cool!! i want a ride :D

^^ Those oval panormas are lovely, Raffi! :okay:

Another one

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/balloonpano.jpg

Sweet. Only if night/twilight view is possible :)

Taken on 22/4, 27/4, 1/5

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9779/dsc05005vf.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4686/dsc05110fi.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9196/dsc00398zb.jpg

Quite tough to get a night view i think......:yes:

^^ Perhaps nobody has tried it yet? Or it doesn't fly at night?

So you've been following the Balloon with your camera, Hyacinth? Lovely! :okay: Especially the 2nd pic, although I never leave out a chance to at least acknowledge Park View Square. ;)

^ Very hard to get a stable shot from the balloon (for night picture u need stability)......ok for daytime pictures only......:yes:

^^ then have night time video lor... :)

@babystan: I didn't realize those things were so jerky & unstable. Now I see what you mean. :)

How long does it take for 1 round?

Up and down and hovering up there should take about 15 min max.

The balloon does look like a kinda cute addition to the cityscape as well, seems to complement Parkview :cool:

The Ballon doesn't seem to conducive for night pictures.....:(
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Tanjong%20Pagar/DSC_0084.jpg

I like the motion blur in fact!

heh... it's alive!

I wonder if its possible to attempt a night pic from the balloon. It does sway in the wind and it can be slightly windy up there, but it can also be quite still. Problem is in getting a tripod into the cabin.

But it sure adds colour to the sky!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sexy0705.jpg

impossible. unless the city is brightly-lit without the need for long exposure.

Yeah....create more excitment in the Bugis area also.....:D

hya i think u should enter ur second pic into the UPC... it's really beautiful

hmm... is it ok if i call you hya? dun know ya at all =P

^^ I believe Hyacynthus is quite used to being called hya, found. :)

hya is fine. Thanks for your compliments. :)

How it looks from Bras Basah

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e126/ylstan02/Bras%20Basah/DSC_0015.jpg

Arh!!!

It's an alien orb!!! :runaway::eek:


:lol:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7493/dscn34546ck.jpg

Looks 'UFO-ish' from that angle :eek:

Another look:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/balloon.jpg

I can see it going up many times during the day and at night if the weather is good. :)

It's very popular with locals and tourists.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2005/dsc12652bf.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7493/dscn34546ck.jpg

Looks sooo small here as if it could fit in that van :D

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7493/dscn34546ck.jpg

Looks sooo small here as if it could fit in that van :D

a pity that it hasn't started operations when you were here. Should be fun to try! :happy:

^ Actually it's good that it started later! Now even more reasons for a re-visit! :happy:

^ Actually it's good that it started later! Now even more reasons for a re-visit! :happy:

Do come again. ^_^

Talk about delivering people to greater heights. ^_^

@baq...hehe...maybe by then the Singapore Flyer will be up and spinning in 2008 :D

Tentatively the balloon will be operating for 2 years.

Actually between 2006-2010, there will be new things in Singapore....the biggest being Vivocity,Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Changi T3.....:D

Sure, Hya! :)

2 years? Better wait for that 200+m new orchard rd building to be completed :D

Sure, Hya! :)

2 years? Better wait for that 200+m new orchard rd building to be completed :D

Oh yeah, I forgot to include that.....:D

City Square Mall?

BFC?

:D

City Square Mall?

BFC?

:D

Ok.....LOTS of exciting developments......:lol: (so hardsell)

originally posted by RafflesCity in the Sexy Singapore thread

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/statuesque3.jpg

.

yeah the ballon seems to be reaching for the skies :D

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/8245/edited4xd.jpg

their business is good if not for the heavy rain this week.

Anyway, here's a pic of the Bugis shopping mall and Hotel Intercontinental from the balloon.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_0711.jpg

btw, here's another pic from the balloon.

The buildings on the right should be replaced with some nice tall condo / hotel / office buildings.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_0706.jpg

^^ count the number of comfort cabs. :D

btw, here's another pic from the balloon.

The buildings on the right should be replaced with some nice tall condo / hotel / office buildings.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_0706.jpg


Yah I hope for a highrise building on that site to enhance the Beach Rd skyline, and I hope they integrate it with the former Police Station.

In the earlier pic, I see the entertainment site at Victoria street hasnt started work yet...its been quite a while.....

any more pics?

i think you have taken most of it. :)

you don't have this, I think.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/eng.jpg

Thats beautiful!

Concourse looks like its standing at the edge of another world :cool:

This larger version allows you to see further to the east of Singapore.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8316/eng1mp.jpg

Has anyone make a visit to the new Kallang flats(the green colour block) yet?? I wonder hows the view there?? :D

yup I did...but not all the flats...think the views are okay only...I prefer the other Kallang flats...maybe the other blocks might have better views :yes:

yup I did...but not all the flats...think the views are okay only...I prefer the other Kallang flats...maybe the other blocks might have better views :yes:

Other blocks?? meaning those old flats near the MRT?? :?

yes those views there are not bad..or at least I preferred them :D

yes those views there are not bad..or at least I preferred them :D

Oh thats good.....:D

More balloon pics ^ ^

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon01.jpg

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon02.jpg
The Gateway looks threatening in this pic... But I didn't care ;-)

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon03.jpg
With Parkview Square.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon06.jpg
Landing.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon04.jpg
Skyline drawing in the waiting area ^ ^ Cute ^ ^

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon07.jpg
View during the ascension.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon08.jpg
The pilot can be seen here ^ ^

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_balloon09.jpg
Wanna drive ? ^ ^

Some buildings as seen from the Balloon...

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_bugis_junction01.jpg
Bugis Junction

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_concourse_parkroyal_gateway01.jpg
The Concourse, Grand Plaza Parkroyal and the Gateway.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_parkview_square01.jpg
Parkview Square.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_seventh_storey_hotel01.jpg
7th Storey Hotel.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_shophouses01.jpg

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_shophouses02.jpg
Shophouses.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_skyline03.jpg
Shaw Building.

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/06/060708_suntec_city01.jpg
Suntec City (Millenia Tower in the background).

:applause:

Great pics...how did you find the ride?

I love your top-down view of the Bugis shophouses...and from what I've seen the New 7th storey hotel seems to be enjoying the attention of the balloon.

For a moment I thought you did that drawing...its really cool :)

^^ count the number of comfort cabs. :D


if not wrong 13 Comfort Cabs :scouserd:

Great pics...how did you find the ride?


Thanks :-)
The ride was nice overall but way too short :-) I was really busy taking pics, and I didn't take so many really, I published almost everything, and I still had no time to look with my eyes lol... Would need double that time seriously ^ ^

Well you could try the ride at night too...just to enjoy the visual experience :cool:

If it was half the price it is, maybe I would consider going a second time ;-)

view from the National Library...

http://static.flickr.com/57/189416926_c6c2b48688_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaoyedediyici2/189416926/)

view from the National Library...

http://static.flickr.com/57/189416926_c6c2b48688_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaoyedediyici2/189416926/)

Interesting shot :-)

Looks like the balloon being engulfed by Gateway. :lol:

Watching NDP from a hot air balloon

1 Aug 06

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phps7UEIY.jpg

It is balloons galore this National Day! And for the first time, you can watch the National Day Parade from a hot air balloon.

Jacqueline Cheong, DHL's Vice President for Marketing Communications, said: "For this year we have the balloon and the guests can actually see the fireworks from this angle where the National Stadium is, and they will be able to focus where the fireworks are coming out from."

This unique way of watching the fireworks has fired up the imagination of so many that the operator has had to turn away almost half of the inquiries.

"It's quite a good view, can view it very clear. It's fun!" said Ooi Bonle, a guest on the DHL balloon.

The 8pm tickets to board the hot air balloon on National Day are in great demand, even though the price has increased by 50 per cent.

This is because it is the time when most of the fireworks are expected to go off.

By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia

Awesome pics! Is the balloon still in service?

Yup it still is. semi-permenant. Haha... you coming here soon? Haha! ^ ^

by Coffee1Cup! from flickr
"Selegie Road with Haze and moon & DHL balloon"

http://static.flickr.com/91/261515911_62b2746400.jpg?v=1160063298

.

by Coffee1Cup! from flickr
"Selegie Road with Haze and moon & DHL balloon"

http://static.flickr.com/91/261515911_62b2746400.jpg?v=1160063298

.

lol... the sun looks like that these days in the haze

yeah, very surreal, with an orange sun all day long

Very surreal today morning, thick haze...

it didnt smell so bad though...maybe the haze is clearing up now

Comprehensive collection of recent shots from hkskyline:

A bit expensive for a 10-minute ride :

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5916.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5942.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5944.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5945.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5946.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5951.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5955.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5957.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5958.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5960.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5961.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5967.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5964.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5970.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5972.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5973.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5977.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5983.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5986.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5985.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5988.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5990.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5995.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_5996.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6001.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6002.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6000.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6003.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6013.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6012.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6182.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070325/IMG_6168.jpg

More photos : http://www.globalphotos.org/sin-dhl.htm

maybe i should try it one day.
....

maybe i should try it one day.
....

You should! With your skills it'll look damn great, take them please! :banana:

You should! With your skills it'll look damn great, take them please! :banana:

thanks for ur appreciation...i will try if i manage to get up with the balloon.

^^ O I hope you will, Gomus! :)

And thanks for posting hkskyline's balloon ride photos here, Raffi! The man is truly a great photographer. :master:

^^ O I hope you will, Gomus! :)

And thanks for posting hkskyline's balloon ride photos here, Raffi! The man is truly a great photographer. :master:

hey SEA fan...nice to know u! :)

And cheers and greetings back to you, Gomus! :wave:

wat's the operating hours and how much $ per ride??

how to get there?? just go to bugis then go to parkway building??

im going to singapore in december..riding that balloon would be in my itinerary!!!!

how to get there?? just go to bugis then go to parkway building??

no idea man. :D

how to get there?? just go to bugis then go to parkway building??

http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/ezine_home/Jul06/new_in_town/DHL_Balloon.html

There for an indefinite period of time, the DHL balloon is located at Bugis Junction (Bugis MRT), on the open plot of land next to the 7th Storey Hotel. It flies at regular intervals of two to six flights an hour. The duration of the flight will range from seven to 10 minutes. Tickets are priced at $23 (adult), $13 (child) and $2 (toddler).

thx for the info.Im gonna go there this weekend :)

Oh boy, chinatown! :banana:

I sure hope you'l be able to show us photos from your ride! :cool:

Float or fly?

2 Sep 07

DHL Balloon owners say they don't view Singapore Flyer as a competitor

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070901/ST_IMAGES_CWBALLOON-LTS.jpg

THE wheel may be off to a rolling start, but the balloon will not be going under.
Despite recent news that the Singapore Flyer is fully booked for three months even before opening, the company behind that other eye-in-the-sky attraction here - the DHL Balloon - says there is enough room up there for two competitors.

It was reported last Sunday that the Singapore Flyer - the world's tallest observation wheel at 165m or 42 storeys high - has sold 1.5 million tickets even before it starts spinning on March 1 next year.

Still, Singapore Ducktours, which runs the balloon, insists it isn't in panic mode.

Ducktours spokesman Agnes Shew says: 'We won't pack up and run off. The balloon has proven to be commercially viable so far, so we'll want to keep it flying.'

The company sees the Flyer as a complement rather than a competitor to the balloon, as one of the common complaints of visitors here is that there are not many new attractions.

'Our industry has to add new products because 50 per cent of tourists here are repeat visitors. So we welcome the Flyer,' she says.

Built by French company Aerophile and parked on a field next to Bugis Junction in Tan Quee Lan Street, the distinctive red-and-yellow DHL Balloon has been lifting off from 11am to 9.30pm daily since May last year, weather permitting.

As it is anchored to the ground with a metal cable, it only goes up and down, to a maximum height of 150m, or around 40 storeys.

The balloon, which measures 22m in diameter, is filled with 6,500 cu m of helium, making it the world's largest tethered helium balloon (see other story). There are only 15 like it around the world. Cities which have it include Paris and Hong Kong.

British tourist Gareth Lane, 45, who was in town on holiday for a week, feels that it offers a different experience from an indoor bird's eye view.

LifeStyle met his family of three after they had just come down from a ride last Wednesday afternoon.

'The balloon is more exciting because it's exposed. The winds are quite strong up there so it sways,' says the engineer, who had good views of Arab Street, Little India and the Marina Bay area from above.

His flight stewardess wife, Yasemin, 47, sheepishly admits that she had to sit down for a while because she got scared once the balloon passed the 100m height, but says their four-year-old son Lewis had a good time running around on the circular platform or gondola.

The Flyer has the edge in size though. It takes about 800 people in its 28 air-conditioned and UV-protected capsules, with each capsule around the size of a single-deck bus. The DHL Balloon, however, can fit no more than 29 passengers in its gondola.

The Flyer, which costs $240 million to build and is backed by European banks ABN Amro and Bayerishe Hypo und Vereinsbank (HVB Asia), promises a longer ride - around half an hour compared to the 10 minutes on the balloon. As such, its entrance fee is slightly higher. The Flyer ticket costs $29.50 while the DHL Balloon charges $23.

LifeStyle went on a ride last Wednesday. The ascent was quick. Within minutes we were already at its 40-storey peak and overlooking the bustling city below, but the balloon had risen so quietly we almost didn't realise it.

The cool winds caused the balloon to sway, so we ended up getting a rotating view without even having to walk around the gondola. For safety, the gondola is covered with a net.

Besides catching views of the Central Business District, Marina Bay and Orchard Road, we could see as far as Malaysia.

The balloon is operated by a pilot inside the balloon. It uses a winch system which controls take-off and landing. It cost Ducktours $2.5 million and the launch took more than a year to plan. German freight company DHL sponsors the balloon, for which it gets exclusive advertising space on the balloon.

DHL and Ducktours, however, declined to reveal the cost of sponsorship, except to say the partnership has been 'mutually rewarding' and that they are in discussion on the renewal of the sponsorship later this year.

Since its maiden flight last May, more than 150,000 people have gone up on the balloon - 70 per cent of whom are tourists. Up to 1,000 people ride the balloon on weekends if the skies hold up.

The company says its ridership is the highest among all of Aerophile's balloons - beating even Euro Disney's in Paris - and is already 'on track' to recover the investment by next year.

The balloon has also scored a high with lovebirds here. Every month, about three to four people book the balloon for marriage proposals. 'Good news is, the people who proposed were all successful,' says Ms Shew.



By Teo Cheng Wee

spectacular pics.. Singapore is beautiful!

Sep 16, 2007
DHL balloon needs to find a new home
Current lease at Tan Quee Lan Street expires in Dec; URA has 'other plans for the site'
By Melissa Sim

THE search is on for a new home for the DHL balloon - and it has just three months to find one.

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070915/ST_IMAGES_SOCK1B.jpg

The lease on the Tan Quee Lan Street site, where it has beenbased for the past 16 months, will expire on Dec 31.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said it cannot grant an extension as there are 'other plans for the site', which it is unable to disclose now.

Mr James Heng, chief executive of Singapore Ducktours which owns the balloon, has suggested two alternatives to the authorities: a site in Beach Road opposite Park View Hotel or at Merchant Loop opposite Novotel Clarke Quay Hotel. He has not heard from them.

The Singapore Land Authority will help to find another site, but will open it for public tender.

If no green patch is found, the balloon might have to be deflated and packed away. 'I'm very sad, it's my baby,' said Mr Heng, who greets his balloon every day from his office window at Suntec Tower Two.

Or it might relocate to Kuala Lumpur or Johor Baru.

About $2.5 million has been pumped into the attraction, not including land rent which was over $1 million for two years. Calling it a day would cost the company $1.2 million.

This includes $800,000 spent priming the ground for the balloon, plus $60,000 worth of helium.

The balloon operates daily, charging $23 for adults and $13 for children per ride. It rises to a height of 150m, about 40 storeys, and takes up to 29 passengers per trip. It has ferried 150,000 visitors to date.

Ticket sales - $3.45 million in the past 16 months - have been on track.

Mr Heng is eyeing the Gardens by the Bay project in the Marina Bay area as another alternative and is in talks with the National Parks Board.

For now, Ducktours will offer free balloon rides to charities and deserving Singaporeans who write in till year-end. He said: 'It's our way of giving back to society.'

simlinoi@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

I really need to ride that thing soon!

Maybe the new Bugis MRT station for the Downtown Line would be built on that site so that's why the lease cannot be renewed.

In the long run....that site is quite prime too....I hope the balloon manages to find a new home...then again, Flyer will be ready next yr.

My tenant an expat looks at the balloon everyday.

Glitch spoils adieu to balloon

1 Oct 08

Party cancelled after problem with control system; balloon to leave for France by Friday

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20080930/ST_IMAGES_ACBALLOON01-RQF.jpg

THE DHL Balloon in Tan Quee Lan Street was supposed to have gone up with a bang for the final time yesterday but a technical problem grounded the attraction before its intended swan song.
A glitch in the control system forced the owner of the enormous red and yellow balloon to shelve it last week leading to the cancellation of a rousing party that had been planned to mark its last flight.

The helium balloon has loomed over the Bugis area since being set up in May 2006 by tour operator Singapore Ducktours.

Soaring as high as 48 storeys (180m), the balloon has given more than 200,000 passengers a view of the city and even the islands around Singapore.

When the Singapore Flyer opened earlier this year, it threatened to upstage the balloon.

So, Singapore Ducktours upgraded the system allowing the balloon to reach 180m, giving it a slight edge over the 165m-tall Flyer.

While the company said business remained strong, the firm's lease for the vacant Tan Quee Lan Street lot has expired and the land has been earmarked for the new Bugis MRT station.

Ducktours assistant director Pamela Wee said the company explored new mooring sites, including Merchant Loop near Clarke Quay, but the authorities vetoed the locations.

When The Straits Times visited the balloon field yesterday, the attraction was shut and the giant balloon was tethered to the ground.

The deflation of the helium-filled behemoth will start next Monday and it will be all packed and ready for departure by Friday.

The balloon is bound for France for cleaning and servicing before heading for its next pasture.

'At this moment, we are still waiting for a confirmation from Sydney,' said Ms Wee.

By April Chong
Straits Times

So sad ... surely there are empty land around the city that can host it again? There's plenty of space at Marina South or around the Nicoll Highway/Kallang area.