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 175ft, it was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012.Opening dayThe 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.Construction and designSeattle 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 175ft tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187ft tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water.