Iconic Ferris wheel moves to Sooner state

By Mary Joseph, NEWS 9

The Pacific Wheel has called Santa Monica home since 1996, but now the California dream is headed to Oklahoma.

Featured in many movies, the wheel will soon beckon tourists and locals with bright lights and big city views.

"It just seemed like an opportunity to get a unique piece of nostalgic Americana," new owner Grant Humphreys said.

The former owners are getting a new Ferris wheel, and sold the icon on eBay. Humphreys, a real estate developer won the auction and purchased the wheel for $132,000.

"The base is another $135,000," Humphreys said. "You are looking at some additional expenses there, as well."

Now that the Oklahoman owns the wheel, he'll have to find a place to park it.

"We have got three or four different projects, downtown airpark being one of them," Humphreys said.

Humphreys said he's not ready to say where the Ferris wheel will be placed in Oklahoma; only that wherever it rolls, he thinks it will be a new community icon.

"We see this Ferris wheel as something that can add to the personality of a community, that can help define a sense of place," Humphreys said.

Humphreys said the wheel will likely not be set up in the Sooner state for 18 months.