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California’s latest thrill ride — 70-story-high glass ‘Sky Slide’

A helicopter braved turbulence on Saturday while installing the 45-foot glass slide onto the side of the 72-story U.S. Bank Tower, the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The slide and added observation deck is part of a $50 million renovation of the tower.

The installation wasn’t without a couple of small mishaps, though. ABC News reported that an awning on the building next door was broken and a window on the tower was shattered while attempting to get the slide intp proper alignment.

ABC News said John Colosimo’s company built the glass slide, and safety has been the number one priority through the whole process, including installation.

“Before we brought that thing out here, we loaded it with 10,000 pounds of sand and hung it for an hour,” Colosimo said.

“It’s pretty robust — I don’t see it coming apart,” he said.

The slide will give sliders a great view of the city, including of the view 1,000 feet straight down. The 45-foot slide is made of 1 1/4-inch glass, and will allow the viewers on a clear day to see all the way to Catalina Island 22 miles off the Pacific Coast and over the Santa Monica Mountains to the sprawling San Fernando Valley.

News Day is reporting that after the sliders come down from the 70th floor, they will exit on the 69th floor, an open-air 360-degree observation deck. A new upscale restaurant and bar is to be added on the floor above. Visitors will need to pay a $25 admission priceto get on the observation deck and an additional $8 to ride the slide.

“The Sky Slide boasts a safe, thrilling experience unlike any other in the world,” said a statement from Lucy Rumantir, head of U.S. operations for building owner OUE Limited of Singapore. “Guests of all ages will have the opportunity to transform their view of Los Angeles as they glide down, gazing at unparalleled views of the city.”

Sky Slide is just one more of the latest thing in heart-pounding thrills that people around the world are looking for today. In the U.S., The Grand Canyon Skywalk opened nine years ago. It’s a horseshoe-shaped bridge that allows visitors to walk right off the edge of the canyon’s north rim and stare through 2,000 feet of empty space to the bottom of the canyon, says the Daily Mail.

Chicago’s Sears Tower has even been transformed. It’s called the Willis Tower now, and its 103rd-floor observation deck was renovated in 2009. All-glass balconies were added so that visitors could actually step off the edge of the building.

Tickets officially went on sale Saturday, March 19, at skyspace-la.com, and the attraction is set to open June 25.

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We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.

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