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New $2m giant Ferris wheel soars into sight for Bay Beach Amusement Park

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bay beach amusement park ferris wheel

The skyline of Green Bay, Wisconsin could change forever if plans for a brand new Ferris wheel, the size of a skyscraper, at Bay Beach Amusement Park go ahead.

The new Ferris wheel was discussed publicly this week at Green Bay’s parks committee meeting.

Bay Beach Amusement Park is sited near the mouth of the Fox River as it flows into Green Bay. The park is a popular attraction with rides, concessions, a food pavilion and a roller coaster. It already has a Ferris wheel (above), one of the park’s oldest rides. This will not be replaced by the new wheel reports Fox 11 News.

“They are two very different rides,” says Jason Arnoldi, Bay Beach’s manager. “The current Ferris wheel is much more of a thrill ride. It goes a lot faster, whereas the new Ferris wheel is more of a scenic kind of deal.”

The new wheel would make the existing one look like a toy. Its design shows it at twice the height and triple the capacity of the old wheel.

The Friends of Bay Beach is the park’s fundraising group. It is planning to donate $2.1 million for the new project. This would cover all costs of purchasing and installing the wheel, including lighting.

City staff say they would like the ride to be located as close as possible to the waterfront. Further plans include reinstating a swimming beach and constructing a boardwalk.

Arnoldi says they will be working with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and looking at sites. “We have a rough idea where we want it to go,” he says. “But we may have to play with that a little bit in the coming months here.”

All extra revenue generated by the new wheel will be reinvested in the park, says Robert Shade of the Friends of Bay Beach. He says the project is hugely exciting and will change the local skyline.

“This will be the type of wheel when they do a flyover on Monday Night Football,” he says. “This is going to be something that is going to be in the skyline of Green Bay.

The city council is expected to vote formally on accepting the ride donation on July 18th.
The park hopes the new Ferris wheel will be ready to ride by April 2019.

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