CLEVELAND — For 30 years, the iconic ferris wheel has been a fixture inside of Cleveland's I-X Center. If you've attended any of the miriad of trade shows and events at the I-X Center over the years, including the I-X Indoor Amusement Park, chances are you've hitched a ride on the wheel.
Now, sadly, the ride is over.
On Tuesday, the I-X Center told 3News' Dave Chudowsky that the ferris wheel will no longer reside inside the mammoth building next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. I-X Center management says the wheel does not fit into the new event space footprint.
The plan is for the ferris wheel to find a new home, but not be demolished. You'll still see it in the I-X Center for the next few months, with the goal to have it removed sometime between April and October. The ferris wheel was installed at the I-X Center in 1992.
The I-X Center provided the following statement to 3News: "For 30 years, the building's 125-foot-tall Ferris Wheel has been a centerpiece during many events at the I-X Center. As we begin renovations this Spring, the Ferris Wheel will no longer remain within the footprint dedicated to our consumer events and tradeshows. It is our hope that this iconic treasure of the I-X Center will have a new home and continue to create memories for generations to come."
The I-X Center was a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, closing its doors at the end of 2020.
In September of 2021, Industrial Realty Group announced that it had purchased the stock of I-X Center Corporation, “which operates Cleveland’s 2.2 million square foot facility.” Developers immediately began to prepare the Main Hall to bring back trade show events, including the Auto Show, I-X Christmas Connection and the Home and Garden Show, among others. The company said their team is also working toward a “comprehensive redevelopment plan” to expand the development on the land surrounding the I-X Center.
3News' Ryan Haidet contributed to this story
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