Seattle Great Wheel
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| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Ferris wheel |
| Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Address | 1301 Alaskan Way |
| Town or city | Seattle |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 47°36′22″N 122°20′33″W / 47.606139°N 122.342528°WCoordinates: 47°36′22″N 122°20′33″W / 47.606139°N 122.342528°W |
| Construction started | April 17, 2012 |
| Opened | June 29, 2012 |
| Cost | $20 million |
| Owner | Great Western Pacific |
| Height | 175 feet (53.3 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Structural engineer | Chance Rides GeoEngineers, B&T Design and Engineering |
| Main contractor | Manson Construction |
| Website | |
| seattlegreatwheel |
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The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington. With an overall height of 175 feet (53.3 m), it was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012.
The inauguration ceremony and opening to the public was on June 29, 2012. Participants in the ceremony, which took place at 2:30 p.m., included a presentation of colors by the US Coast Guard, a speech by Seattle mayor Michael McGinn, and entertainment by the University of Washington cheerleaders, spirit team, and marching band.
Approximately 200 people lined up for the first ride on the wheel. Tickets cost $13 per person, with discounts for children and seniors. One luxury VIP gondola with red leather seats and a glass floor is available and costs $50 per person.
Seattle was the third city in North America to offer a wheel of this design, following the Niagara SkyWheel at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada, which is also 175 feet (53.3 m) tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187 feet (57.0 m) tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water.
The Seattle Great Wheel has 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each able to carry up to eight passengers (except the "VIP" gondola, seating four), giving a maximum capacity of over 300. The 12-minute ride extends 40 feet (12.2 m) out over Elliott Bay.
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Wikipedia