The Bella Vista Ferris wheel in Noordwijk will have its passenger cabins removed during the upcoming NATO summit due to security concerns. Organizers fear the 50-meter-high wheel could be used to attack attendees, including US President Donald Trump, who may be staying at the nearby Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin.

The decision was made due to the wheel’s proximity to the hotel and its overlooking position of a parking lot and roadway in between.

While the wheel itself will remain, its 36 passenger cabins will be taken down for several weeks during the summit.

The cost of removing the cabins and implementing additional security measures, estimated to be at least €10,000, will not be covered by the summit organizers or the Noordwijk town council.

Location manager Hans Imanse stated that the operating permit for the wheel, which expires in October, included a condition to secure the attraction for the summit. He added that while the security precautions are costly, they were warned in advance.

In addition to removing the cabins, fences will be erected around the wheel to prevent anyone from climbing it.

The cabins will be transported to a storage facility in Weert and reinstalled after the summit. Safety inspectors will then need to approve the wheel before it can reopen.

The NATO summit will be held at the World Forum conference center in The Hague at the end of the month, but many of the 6,500 attendees will be staying outside the city due to hotel capacity. Noordwijk’s hotels are expected to be busy.

Extensive security measures are in place throughout Zuid Holland, and residents have been warned about traffic delays and road closures.

Imanse stated that despite the cost and effort, he is proud that the Netherlands is hosting the summit.