Seattle Center Announces Opening of Giant Observation Wheel, 4/21

Seattle Center today announced an agreement with Great City Attractions (GCA) of Birmingham, England to bring a giant observation wheel to Center Square as part of The Next Fifty celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair.

The observation wheel is slated to open on April 21, 2011, in recognition of the World's Fair opening date of April 21, 1962, and it will close at the end of The Next Fifty celebration on Oct. 21, 2012. It will operate year-round.

The iconic, elegant and technologically advanced nearly 200-foot tall observation wheel harkens back to the Fun Forest rides of the World's Fair. It also represents a nod to a future vision for Seattle's central gathering place. The wheel's fully enclosed, modern and climate controlled capsules will hold up to eight passengers and provide 360 degree panoramic views of Seattle Center and the surrounding areas.

The wheel will be transported to and installed at Seattle Center at minimal cost to the City, and a share of the revenues generated by the ride will support The Next Fifty activities.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the wheel to Seattle Center," said Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams. "It will enliven our new public space, provide an additional reason for Seattle residents and tourists to visit our beautiful campus and help support The Next Fifty six-month anniversary in 2012."

"Seattle Center is an ideal partner for Great City Attractions, and we are so pleased to be able to bring the tallest observation wheel on the West Coast to this great city with our partner, long time Seattle area event promoter Michael Campbell and his company Elliott Bay Events in support of a wonderful initiative in The Next Fifty," said Nigel Ward, Head of Global Site Development, Great City Attractions Ltd.

The observation wheel will be one of the exciting, new attractions at Seattle Center during The Next Fifty celebration. For more information on The Next Fifty, visit www.seattlecenter.org. Learn more about Seattle Center redevelopment and public programming at www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200.

Great City Attractions is the world"s leading owner and operator of technologically advanced giant observation wheels that are transportable for temporary or long term operations. Locations of GCA wheels include many United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated sites and other community places of major historical and cultural importance.

Seattle Center draws you in. Its vibrant pulse brings together people of all ages and walks of life to create thousands of extraordinary experiences that enrich millions of lives each year. Entertainment options abound - starting with nearly 500 free and affordable public programming activities and over 5,000 shows and events annually. The 74-acre campus is home to more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations. This treasured urban gathering place exists to delight and inspire the human spirit in each person and bring together our rich and varied community. The 12 million visitors to Seattle Center each year generate $1.15 billion in business activity and $387 million in labor income for King County.

Seattle Center has reached an agreement with Great City Attractions (GCA) to bring an observation wheel to Seattle Center for the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The iconic wheel will be housed in Center Square, adjacent to Seattle Center Monorail.

The observation wheel is slated to open on April 21, 2011, exactly one year in advance of "The Next Fifty" anniversary, and it will close at the end of the celebration on Oct. 21, 2012.

The nearly 200-foot (60 meters) tall observation wheel, built in Europe and assembled onsite, is twice as high as the Ferris wheel featured at the 1962 World's Fair. Instead of open seating secured with a lap-bar, it will have fully enclosed, modern, air-conditioned and heated capsules for year-round use. Each capsule holds up to eight people.

This will be the tallest year-round observation wheel in North America (a taller wheel at 212' operates each year during the Texas State Fair) and the tallest wheel on the West Coast.

The elegant, technologically advanced wheel is full self-supporting and assembled in less than 14 days. It operates almost silently - and safely. GCA wheels boast an excellent safety record and maintain high standards of professional operation.

Riders will gain a true 360 degree panoramic view for the affordable cost of a movie ticket.

GCA will cover upfront costs of the wheel, its installation and operating costs, and a share of the revenue generated by the ride will support other activities envisioned for The Next Fifty.

GCA has installed its wheels around the world - in Singapore (currently the tallest wheel in the world at 541') Belfast, Brisbane, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, London (Hyde Park and Greenwich), Manchester, Paris, Perth, Seville, Sheffield, Singapore and Windsor.

The world's first Ferris wheel was built for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

The ten tallest wheels, located in Singapore (541'), Nanchang (525'), London (443'), Suzhou (294'), Melbourne (394'), Tianjin (394'), Changsha (394'), Henan (394'), Fukuoka (394') and Tokyo (384'), have been built in the last ten years.

Bringing a modern world-class wheel to Seattle has been the dream of Seattle events promoter Michael Campbell since he served as head of the Sports and Events Council. Michael was the catalyst in connecting Great City Attractions with Seattle Center. His company, Elliott Bay Events is a partner with GCA in the Seattle wheel project.

Seattle Center and GCA will continue to work together over the coming months to secure permits and inspections needed to install this temporary attraction. In addition, any new impacts that differ from the 2008 Seattle Center Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be studied in early 2011 and vetted at a public meeting in February.  

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