Santa Monica Ferris wheel for sale. Wanna go halfsies?

2:41 PM, April 15, 2008

That's right - the Ferris wheel from the Santa Monica Pier is for sale. On Ebay. Minimum bid: $50k. Local pick-up only. But wait -- here's the fine print:

Chance Morgan, Inc. in Wichita, Kan., is the manufacturer of both Ferris wheels and is offering the winning eBay bidder the Ferris wheel base that supports the wheel at cost of approximately $135,000.

Which basically means, you're buying the wheel but the wheel base is sold separately.

Read the full release on the jump. (And if you bid, please let us know.)

--Veronique de Turenne

For Immediate Release

FREE WHEELIN’ FUN FOR SALE ON EBAY: ONE FAMOUS FERRIS WHEEL, SINGLE PROUD OWNER, 3 MILLION RIDERS

Pacific Park’s High-Flyin’, Nine-Story Tall, Ferris Wheel Features 5,392 Light Bulbs, Reaches Speeds Of 2.5 RPM And Includes 20 Gondolas That Seat Up To 600 Riders Per Hour

SANTA MONICA, Calif., (April 15, 2008) --- One winning bidder will ride in style this summer when the historic Ferris wheel from Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier becomes their very own as the highest bidder on eBay. The 10-day auction runs from April 15 to April 25 and can be found by entering “Pacific Wheel Ferris Wheel” in the search box at ebay.com. The reserve is set at $50,000 with 50 percent of the winning bid being donated to Special Olympics Southern California.

“Where there is the Wheel, there is a way for Pacific Park to raise money for Special Olympics,” says Jeff Klocke, director of marketing and sales at Pacific Park. “We have partnered with the great organization for more than 10 years and feel this is the grandest gift we could offer the organization. It’s a sign of our commitment to their mission and reinforcing our valued long-term relationship.”

The Ferris wheel originally cost approximately $800,000, weighs 122,000 pounds, stands 90 feet tall and is 30 feet wide. It has become a Southern California icon over the past 12 years. Installation of an all-new, $1.5 million contemporary Ferris wheel begins May 5 with a grand opening community celebration scheduled for the evening of Thursday, May 22.

“Pacific Park and Special Olympics continue to strengthen their relationship and commitment to families, athletes and the community with this unique donation and auction on eBay,” says Maria Shriver, Board of Governors Special Olympics Southern California. “The winning bidder will gain a historical piece of Santa Monica while making a difference in the lives of Special Olympics athletes.”

Chance Morgan, Inc. in Wichita, Kan., is the manufacturer of both Ferris wheels and is offering the winning eBay bidder the Ferris wheel base that supports the wheel at cost of approximately $135,000. Chance Morgan, Inc. will donate 10 percent of the amount to Special Olympics Kansas. “Pacific Park and Special Olympics are two great organizations that we feel privileged to be in partnership with,” says Mike Chance, president and CEO of Chance Morgan, Inc.

The Pacific Wheel debuted May 1996 with the opening of Pacific Park and was adapted as the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel in November 1998. The nine-story Pacific Wheel was later selected “Best Solar System” in the Reader’s Digest Best in America 2006.