Development plans for simulated sky dive at Va. Beach

August 21, 2011 - 01:40 pm

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - A company wants to build an indoor vertical wind tunnel near Virginia Beach's oceanfront.

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A vertical wind tunnel can give the feeling of flying through the sky. (Photo: Flickr/Erik Charlton).

The $10 million proposal would simulate the experience of skydiving, without the assistance of an airplane.

But some neighbors aren't jumping for joy at the prospect of a 70-foot-tall building that would house the air tunnel.

The Virginian-Pilot also reports that city planning officials aren't sure the development is suitable for the neighborhood.

But developers say once people understand the project, they'll embrace it. One of the developers, Torrey Breeden, calls it the "fear of the unknown."

The facility would be a franchise of a chain called iFly, which has wind tunnels in places such as Orlando, Fla., Seattle and San Francisco.

A two-minute "dive" would cost $60.

Short URL: http://wj.la/p4Mbq4

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