Seattle Great Wheel


The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington. With an overall height of, it was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012.

Opening day

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.

Construction and design

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 tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 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, giving a maximum capacity of 332. The 12-minute, three-revolution ride extends out over Elliott Bay.

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