Grand Canyon Skywalk pre-opening

From the Arizona Republic/Reznet News 3/21/2007

Leap of Faith
AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher
Hualapai tribal members make the ceremonial first walk on Grand Canyon Skywalk.
Associated story by Chris Kahn

"HUALAPAI INDIAN RESERVATION, Ariz. — Walking gingerly across the translucent surface, visitors hear the glass layers creak. Far below, directly underfoot, they see the Colorado River as a pea-green ribbon." ...

"The Hualapai Indian tribe invited Aldrin, fellow former astronaut John Herrington and others to the unveiling of the horseshoe-shaped deck Tuesday in advance of a public opening planned for March 28."....

"The massive deck is anchored deep into a limestone cliff. As people walk across it, the glass layers creak and the deck wobbles almost imperceptibly. When the wind blows, only the most daring visitors resist grabbing the steel rail to steady their knees." ....

"Tour packages with deck access will range in price from $49.95 to $199. The deck, which juts 70 feet beyond the canyon's edge, will accommodate up to 120 guests at a time and offer a bone-chilling vantage point more than twice as high as the world's tallest buildings.

Architect Mark Johnson said the Skywalk can support the weight of a few hundred people and will withstand wind up to 100 mph. The observation deck has a 3-inch-thick glass bottom and has been equipped with shock absorbers to keep it from bouncing like a diving board as people walk on it.

Tribal leaders are betting people will flock here, braving the rugged terrain — including a twisty ride through unpaved roads — to walk its transparent surface. The tribe expects Skywalk to become the centerpiece of a budding tourism industry that includes helicopter tours, river rafting, a cowboy town and a museum of Native American replica homes.

Robert Bravo Jr., operations manager of the Hualapai tourist attractions called Grand Canyon West, said he hopes the Skywalk will double tourist traffic to the reservation to about 600,000 visitors this year and 1 million tourists later." ....

"Construction crews spent two years building the walkway. They drilled steel anchors 46 feet into the limestone rim to hold the deck in place. Earlier this month, they welded the Skywalk to the anchors after pushing it past the edge using four tractor trailers and an elaborate system of pulleys.

The Hualapai (pronounced WALL-uh-pie) allowed Las Vegas developer David Jin to build the Skywalk. Jin fronted the money to build the $30 million structure and will give it to the Hualapai in exchange for a share of the profits, the tribe said.

"The terms are confidential, but David will profit for the next 25 years from the Skywalk," said Steve Beattie, chief financial officer of the Grand Canyon Resort Corp., which oversees the tribe's tourist businesses." ...

For full article see: http://www.reznetnews.org/news/070321_skywalk/