Mind It!

The Stratosphere Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. While many tourists consider its location to be inconvenient, others feel the location is an advantage since it is equidistant between the more popular strip casinos and the downtown area. It is most notable for its tower, which at 1,149 ft (350 m) is not only the tallest structure in Las Vegas, but also the second-tallest free-standing structure in the United States west of the Mississippi River, after the Kennecott Smokestack near Tooele, Utah.

The top of the tower has an observation deck, revolving restaurant and the following rides:

• The Big Shot at 1,081 feet (329 m) is the highest thrill ride in the world;
• Insanity the Ride, opened in 2005, at 900 feet (274 m) is the second highest thrill ride in the world, it dangles riders over the edge of the tower and then spins in a circular pattern at approximately forty miles per hour. Since its public opening, the ride has stopped twice with passengers onboard (upwards of an hour each time), due to high winds that trigger a “safety mechanism” which shuts down the machine immediately without bringing the passengers back to the loading dock. The hotel is currently being sued by the first set of passengers who were trapped on the ride dangling over the edge.
• XSCREAM at 866 feet (264 m) is the third highest thrill ride in the world. This ride also “drops” people over the edge, and has also stopped while people were on it, though it is not clear what triggered this ride’s failure.
• The High Roller at 909 feet (277 m) was the second highest ride in the world and the highest roller coaster. It was closed on December 30, 2005 and dismantled to make space for a new attraction.

Here are a few pics :