Seattle Great Wheel
{{Short description|Ferris wheel in Seattle, Washington, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Seattle Great Wheel
| image = File:Seattle Great Wheel ferris wheel seen from Argosy cruise.jpg
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| caption = Seattle Great Wheel in 2017
| map_type = Seattle WA Downtown
| map_caption = Location within downtown Seattle
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| building_type = Ferris wheel
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| cost = $20 million{{cite news |last=Nolasco |first=Joanna |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2012/06/01/structures-170000-pound-wheel-on-the.html |title=Structures: 170,000-pound wheel on the pier? That's a tall order! |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=June 1, 2012 |accessdate=2012-07-02 |archive-date=2022-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715024058/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2012/06/01/structures-170000-pound-wheel-on-the.html |url-status=live }}
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| owner = Great Western Pacific{{cite news |author=Laura L. Myers |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-seattle-wheelbre85s1er-20120629,0,4952031.story |title=Seattle's new landmark Great Wheel opening on waterfront |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |agency=Reuters |date=June 29, 2012 |accessdate=2012-07-02 |archive-date=2012-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120705050945/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-seattle-wheelbre85s1er-20120629,0,4952031.story |url-status=live }}{{Better source needed|date=September 2014}}
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| address = 1301 Alaskan Way
Seattle, Washington
98101
| coordinates = {{coord|47.6061|-122.3425|display=inline,title}}
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| height = {{Convert|175|ft|m|1}}{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jennifer |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018564435_wheel30m.html |title=The Seattle Great Wheel opens to a big crowd |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=June 29, 2012 |accessdate=2012-07-02 |archive-date=2017-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226074055/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018564435_wheel30m.html |url-status=live }}
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| architect = Jackson {{!}} Main Architecture, P.S.
| architecture_firm = https://www.jacksonmain.com/
| structural_engineer = Chance Rides{{cite news |author=Levesque, John |url=http://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/article/recreation-big-wheel |title=Recreation: Big Wheel |magazine=Seattle Business Magazine |date=June 2012 |accessdate=2012-06-30 |archive-date=2012-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016080913/http://seattlebusinessmag.com/article/recreation-big-wheel |url-status=live }} GeoEngineers, B&T Design and Engineering{{Citation needed|date=September 2014}}
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| main_contractor = Manson Construction Co.{{Citation needed|date=September 2014}}
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| website = {{url|seattlegreatwheel.com}}
| embedded =
| references = https://www.readgeo.com/geostrata/october_november_2021/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1730114#articleId1730114
}}
The Seattle Great Wheel is a 53-meter tall giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, United States. At an overall height of {{Convert|175|ft|m|1}}, it was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast of the United States when it opened in June 2012.{{cite news |last=Kugiya |first=Hugo |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/06/29/what-seattle-process-big-wheel.html |title=What 'Seattle process'? Big wheel turns up fast |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=June 29, 2012 |accessdate=2012-07-02 |archive-date=2018-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926170550/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/06/29/what-seattle-process-big-wheel.html |url-status=live }}
Opening day
The inauguration ceremony and opening to the public took place on June 29, 2012. Participants in the ceremony, which commenced at 2:30 p.m., included the U.S. Coast Guard with a presentation of colors, Seattle mayor Michael McGinn who delivered a speech, and the University of Washington cheerleaders, spirit team, and marching band who provided entertainment.{{cite web |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/slideshow/Grand-opening-of-Seattle-s-Great-Wheel-45280.php |title=Grand opening of Seattle's Great Wheel |publisher=seattlepi.com |date=June 29, 2012 |accessdate=2012-06-30 |archive-date=2017-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107002953/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/slideshow/Grand-opening-of-Seattle-s-Great-Wheel-45280.php |url-status=live }} Approximately 200 people lined up for the first ride on the wheel.
Construction and design
{{Further|Pier 57 (Seattle)}}
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 {{Convert|175|ft|m|1}} tall), and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which stands {{Convert|187|ft|m|1}} 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 luxury VIP gondola, which had red leather seats and a glass floor, and seats four), giving a maximum capacity of 332.{{cite web|url=http://seattlegreatwheel.com/index|title=Seattle Great Wheel|publisher=Seattle Great Wheel|date=September 1, 2013|accessdate=2013-09-01|archive-date=2013-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805232325/http://seattlegreatwheel.com/index|url-status=live}} The 12-minute, three-revolution ride extends {{Convert|40|ft|m|1}} out over Elliott Bay.{{cite web |url=http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Seattles-Great-Wheel-opening-scheduled-for-June-29-159759725.html |title=Seattle's Great Wheel opening pushed back to June 29 |publisher=KING-TV |date=June 20, 2012 |accessdate=2012-06-30 |archive-date=2014-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531163329/http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Seattles-Great-Wheel-opening-scheduled-for-June-29-159759725.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Seattle Great Wheel|url=http://seattlegreatwheel.com/|access-date=2012-06-30|archive-date=2014-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303181200/http://seattlegreatwheel.com/|url-status=live}}
File:Seattle Great Wheel, Seattle, Washington, Estados Unidos, 2017-09-02, DD 16.jpg|Long exposure photo of Great Wheel lights at night
File:Seattle evening pano.jpg|Seattle skyline and Great Wheel near twilight
In popular culture
- The Seattle Great Wheel was featured in the climax for the film Death Note.
- The Seattle Great Wheel is a prominent landmark in the 2020 action-adventure game The Last of Us Part II.{{Cite web|title=PlayStation's The Last of Us Part II features a post-pandemic Seattle {{!}} Venture|url=https://dailyhive.com/seattle/last-of-us-part-post-pandemic-seattle-playstation|access-date=2020-07-10|website=dailyhive.com|language=en|archive-date=2020-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710185313/https://dailyhive.com/seattle/last-of-us-part-post-pandemic-seattle-playstation|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Central Waterfront, Seattle}}
{{Downtown Seattle}}
{{Ferris wheel}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2012 establishments in Washington (state)
Category:Amusement rides introduced in 2012
Category:Buildings and structures in Seattle
Category:Central Waterfront, Seattle
Category:Ferris wheels in the United States