Seattle Center illustration
As if to distract from the negative publicity yesterday–I’m going with “Seattle Center Cancels Christmas…Carousel“–the Seattle Center announced their latest brainstorm: A view-centric tourist attraction placed directly beside a three-times-as-tall view-centric tourist attraction. It has the ring of genius to it, doesn’t it? And they have proof that it’s a good idea, because the people who run Pier 57 are thinking along the same lines.
Hal Griffith, of family-owned Pier 57, announced in October that they were looking into bringing a 175-foot-tall Ferris wheel to the waterfront, to help draw people to the area as construction begins on the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement.
Needless to say–but what the hell, let’s go there–Griffith was not thrilled to hear of the competition, as he told the Seattle Times: “‘I’m very surprised and disappointed. It’s one thing to have to compete with a private business. It’s another to have the city of Seattle do it, knowing what’s going on with the waterfront.”
It is not clear whether Center officials, who say they’ve been working on their project since 2008, bothered to alert Griffith of their plans prior to the public announcement. The “good news” for Griffith is that the Center’s will only be around 18 months–providing breathtaking views of the roofs of EMP and the Center House–in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair.
Seattle Times commenters also question the wisdom of a 200-foot Ferris wheel next to the 605-foot Space Needle. Indeed, it is difficult not to, unless you run Seattle Center. But keep in mind that this is the same Seattle Center that began construction on McCaw Hall while telling the public they were getting $12 million from the state and $5 million from King County “although they had received no firm commitments,” as the Seattle Times gently puts it, forcing the city into providing a $30 million bridge loan when it was trying to deal with a $60 million deficit.
Didn’t the larger fight at Seattle Center start because the amusement park there is losing money hand over fist?
Both Ferris Wheels are being used to attract ANYONE to Pier 57 or the Seattle Center so they can spend money on the local merchants while construction is going on. Plus they will try to provide a distraction to the fact that here is nothing else new to see or do around the planned ongoing construction for the next few years. The tourists may get suckered into riding them I guess. With the fun forest gone, the only thing to attract kids to Seattle Center will be the fountain in the summer. Most Seattle children have already seen the: Aquarium, waterfront, Pacific Science Center, Children’s museum, Center House, EMP, and the Space Needle on school trips numerous times or have been dragged there again by the parents. I pity the poor parents who will have to navigate to these Ferris Wheels once construction begins.
No, this is a modern amusement, hearkening to the classic 1893 invention. That will get the kids coming in – better than an XBox.
The old park was full of 1960s fun – but that was only 50 years ago. Well established that modern kids are fans of fin de siècle school, however, and the Ferris wheel is more suited to them.
Full disclosure – I attended the engineering school where Ferris attended, and perhaps I’m too inclined to support his mechanical contrivances.
of Ferris Wheels and it’s a totally rational fear, so I will avoid both locations like the Black Death if the towering, homicidal monstrosities should appear.
Oh, hey, a steampunk parc d’attractions, with tricked-out Ferris Wheel! Now *that* would be cool. A Klondike Gold Rush theme, all 1890’s shabby-chic… I can totally see it.