March 04--Memorial Day weekend is all about traditions: barbecues, the beach and, yes, the big Ferris wheel.
The new Ferris wheel will open May 27, kicking off Navy Pier's Centennial Celebration, according to the mayor's office.
This week the 42 enclosed, temperature controlled gondolas were installed on the nearly 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel as crews are preparing for opening day, when the public can go for a roomier and upgraded ride and sit on leather cushioned seats. Each gondola will have an entertainment system complete with video screens displaying information about Navy Pier during the ride.
The new year-round Ferris wheel replaces the one installed in 1995 and will hold 180 more passengers per ride. The old wheel, modeled after the original built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, was dismantled in October and provided nearly 17 million rides over 20 years. Its new home will be the Track Family Fun Parks in Branson, Mo.
The Ferris wheel's opening date comes on the heels of the announcement of a new performance venue at Navy Pier called The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.
lvivanco@tribpub.com
