Giant Ferris Wheel Being Constructed For State Fair

<p>Construction is underway right now on a huge Ferris Wheel at the Oklahoma State Fair.</p>

Tuesday, September 12th 2017, 6:23 pm



Construction is underway right now on a huge Ferris Wheel at the Oklahoma State Fair. When it's finished, it will be 155 feet tall and lit up with 524,000 bits of light and you should be able to see it from pretty much anywhere in the city.

The Ferris wheel rolled into town on Sunday in 500 pieces.

“It travels Americas highways on 12 semi-trailers, weighs approximately 400,000 pounds,” explains co-owner Michael Woods.

Since then a crew has been working 12-hour days to make sure it's ready for Thursday.

“Before we get it open to the public, the Oklahoma Department of Labor will do a thorough inspection of the machine,” says Woods. “The State Fair itself hires a third party inspection company. They’ll inspect it and then we’ll inspect it and then we’ll inspect it each and every day prior to opening.”

This is the first year for the attraction. Michael Woods and his partner bought it from a company in the Netherlands.

“We were seeking something that would bring a memory to a fairgoer that would last for generations to come.”

The Oklahoma State Fair will be the fourth and final time this summer fair goers will get to climb aboard.  Woods says they can accommodate about 1,200 people per hour.

If they're brave enough.

“I’m not going to get on it,” joked Chaka Thompson on Tuesday. “I’m scared of Ferris Wheels.”  

“I’m going to ride it twice, one for him one for me,” said her co-worker Mark Stanke.

Woods says they can accommodate about 1,200 people her hour. And those who do ride will be rewarded.

“The human eye can see 15 miles and up there at 155 feet. You should be able to see that on a clear day.”

The Ferris Wheel costs $5 dollars to ride and there are some discount coupons available. Each ride lasts about 10 minutes. 

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