Just one month after it opened to the public, the observation deck on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper, was abruptly closed for "maintenance" for an indefinite period today.
In a statement released today, the tower's owner, Emaar Properties, officially cited "unexpectedly high attendance" as the reason for the shutdown, but also suggested that electrical problems have something to do with the closure. Five days after the observation deck opened, 14 passengers were trapped for an hour when an elevator stalled at 1411 feet (430 meters), about 65 feet short of the observatory level.
The observatory, called "At the Top" -- a misnomer, as the building rises for almost 1300 feet more above the observatory floor -- has attracted thousands of tourists in the weeks since it opened, but as admission is controlled through a system of timed tickets that limit the number of people on the deck at any one time, it appears unlikely that the building's systems were overtaxed by the traffic.
No other part of the Burj Khalifa is currently occupied. An Armani hotel is scheduled to open on the building's bottom floors on March 18; some news reports speculate that the electrical system problems may delay that opening.
Emaar will issue refunds to all visitors who have already purchased tickets to the observatory during the shutdown. Admission is $27, and the elevator ride to the deck takes 60 seconds.
Written by Sandy Smith
For HULIQ.com
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