This is the information provided by the Great Wheel website:
About the Seattle Great Wheel
The Seattle Great Wheel was built in less than a year, but its story
goes back much further than that. Seattle businessman Hal Griffith had
envisioned a Ferris wheel in the city for nearly 30 years, but it wasn't
until he realized he could build one on his own pier that his dream
became a reality.
The Seattle Great Wheel opened to the public on
June 29, 2012. Since then, it has become an icon of the city and a
destination for tourists and locals alike.
Here are some fun facts about the Seattle Great Wheel:
- The Seattle Great Wheel is the largest observation wheel on the west coast, standing 175 feet tall.
- The wheel has 42 fully-enclosed gondolas. 41 white gondolas each
seat up to eight adults. Cabin #42, the VIP cabin, has leather bucket
seats, a stereo system, glass bottom floor, and can seat up to 4
adults. In total, the wheel can hold over 300 passengers at any given
time.
- The wheel was manufactured in various parts of Europe and the United States, and assembled right at the end of the pier.
- The wheel extends nearly 40 feet beyond the end of the pier, over Elliott Bay.
- The Seattle Great Wheel is open year round. With fully-enclosed
gondolas and a covered waiting area, the rain can't stop the wheel from
spinning!
- The Wheel weighs 280,300 pounds.
- 550 tons of concrete were poured to create the foundation for the wheel.
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| From the pier |
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| From Pikes Place |
Miranda took many pictures of the wheel, from our cruise, the ferry and the land side.