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Friday, June 29, 2012

City State Grants Liquor License to Seattle Ferris Wheel

Posted by on Fri, Jun 29, 2012 at 3:23 PM

After initially rejecting a petition to allow alcohol service on Seattle's new waterfront Ferris Wheel, yesterday the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) reversed its decision and approved alcohol service in the enclosed six-person gondolas for riders 21 and over.

Bethany and the sandwich eater.
  • BJC
  • Bethany and the sandwich eater.
"The gondolas are equipped with tables that come in and out," explained wheel-owner Kyle Griffith in a conversation last week. "The idea is that people can go in and have dinner ordered from Fisherman's Seafood Restaurant, and also have wine or a drink."

"It's not ever going to operate where you can just go in there and have drinks," he added.

The board's timing couldn't be better: the 175-foot-tall wheel probably celebrated its grand opening today on Pier 57. (Although intrepid girl reporter Bethany Jean Clement says that as of two hours ago, the wheel looked far from open-ready and at least one construction worker was eating a sandwich.)

While the new policy certainly brings exciting new meaning to the term bar fly*, it's heartening proof that the notoriously conservative liquor control board is both willing and capable of revising its stupider policy decisions.

*FYI, it took four staffers seven minutes to come up with that one weak pun.

 

Comments (10) RSS

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gloomy gus 1
So I could have a dinner party on a gondola? The PSBJ did a good review of how the wheel managed to get through all sorts of permits much more quickly than one might expect. My favorite tidbit is that the exterior lights on it can be custom tinted for various things. Maybe a rainbow for next year's Pride?
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/…
Posted by gloomy gus on June 29, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Baconcat 2
Future ST headline: Vomit-Filled Gondola Shuts Great Wheel For 90 Minutes
Posted by Baconcat on June 29, 2012 at 3:38 PM
3
Hope there's porta-potties at the base.
Posted by paulus on June 29, 2012 at 3:41 PM
Will in Seattle 4
All right! #FreeKatie Dance Party is on at the Ferris Wheel!

Who's got the tunage?
Posted by Will in Seattle http://www.facebook.com/WillSeattle on June 29, 2012 at 3:57 PM
5
How long are you expected to be up there? Do you have to make reservations a day in advance, or ?
Posted by zobot http://wsu.academia.edu/zoealeshire on June 29, 2012 at 4:05 PM
Westlake, son! 6
Dinner? Wouldn't that take much longer than a single revolution of the wheel?
Posted by Westlake, son! on June 29, 2012 at 4:05 PM
Soupytwist 7
I WANT TO LIVE THERE.
Posted by Soupytwist http://twitter.com/katherinesmith on June 29, 2012 at 5:30 PM
8
I'd have to be drunk to get on that humongous, terrifyingly tall thing resting on rotting pilings. Sorry.
Posted by floater on June 29, 2012 at 8:28 PM
9
@3 You pee over the side. (Or you bring it down in a bucket.)
Posted by floater on June 29, 2012 at 8:30 PM
Max Solomon 10
@8: all the pilings are steel, and brand new. the entire end of that pier was rebuilt, and there are dozens of pilings. it's seaworthy.
Posted by Max Solomon on June 29, 2012 at 8:37 PM

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