Chance Rides - Chance Wheels

Chance Wheels

The first observation wheel from Chance, the Astro Wheel, was sold to showman Don Franklin and debuted at the 1967 Iowa State Fair. It featured 16 cars with two passengers per car. The first park model, an 80-foot Giant Wheel, was built in 1975 at Valleyfair amusement park in Minn. It features 18 cars holding four passengers per car and is still in operation. The Century Wheel was introduced in various sizes in both park and portable models in the mid-1980s. In 2006 Chance started working with Dutch Wheels BV, a division of Vekoma Rides and Bussink Design GmbH to produce even larger wheels such as the Niagara SkyWheel which stands 53.3 m (175 ft) tall and features 42 air-conditioned cars seating eight passengers per car.

On October 19, 2012, Chance Rides announced a long term license agreement with Bussink Design GmbH for the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell the R80XL Giant Observation Wheel in North America. Chance Rides will market the R80XL, which is over 250 ft (76 m) tall, under an affiliate company, Chance American Wheels. The first R80XL wheel is nearing completion in Munich, Germany, and will be delivered early in 2013. Chance Rides/Chance American Wheels will continue to manufacturer and sell R-60 wheels in North America under an exclusive license from Dutch Wheels BV.

Notable wheels include:

• The Great Escape Giant Wheel (1989)
• I-X Center Ferris wheel (1992) 125-foot (38 m) tall. It was the world's tallest indoor wheel when it opened.
• Hersheypark Ferris wheel (1996)
• Clementon Amusement Park Giant Ferris Wheel (1997)
• Niagara SkyWheel (2006)
• Myrtle Beach SkyWheel (2011)
• Seattle Great Wheel (2012)