Aerialist walks tightrope at new Tanger Outlet in Foxwoods
By Kainani Stevens
The Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut opened up shop on Thursday but made it official Friday.
Aerialist, Nik Wallenda, performed a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony—75 feet above the ground.
Wallenda walked 711 feet from the 5th level of the Rainmaker parking garage to the roof of the Tanger Outlet Mall. A walk that left fans down below holding their breath.
Some lucky spectators, like Stephanie Norris of Indiana, also got to be a part of Friday’s show by helping to hold the wire.
“They asked for volunteers so I jumped right up to volunteer,” said Norris. “Hopefully he’ll be fine up there because I’m holding the wire!”
A 7th generation member of the “Flying Wallenda Acrobats,” Wallenda holds several world records and has walked across the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. Just 75 feet off the ground today, Wallenda made it look easy, even lying down at one point.
“I’ve trained in 90 mile an hour winds,” explained Wallenda. “We train for the absolute worst conditions so that we know that I can safely make it across. If I didn’t train like that I would have no business being up there and if I couldn’t make it look easy I’d have no business being up there either.”
A great turnout for Friday’s event, Wallenda and Foxwoods are already planning events for the future.
© WLNE-TV 2015
