For more than two decades, the Giant Wheel at Irvine Spectrum Center has served as a familiar signal for drivers and visitors alike – a glowing marker that says you’ve arrived.
That familiar presence is now in transition. A new, larger wheel will make its debut this summer.
“For Orange County residents, the wheel has become the backdrop of their social lives,” says Irvine Spectrum Center General Manager Blake Windal. “First dates, proposals: It’s where a lot of memories are made.”
Since opening in 2002, the Italian-built wheel has become inseparable from the identity of Spectrum Center, even appearing in the center’s logo. Windal describes the destination as “downtown Irvine,” with the wheel as its defining feature.
Now, that landmark is being reimagined. A new 132-foot wheel, built in Italy and shipped through the Panama Canal, will open this summer. Each gondola will include built-in speakers, while advanced LED lighting on the spokes will allow for thousands of patterns and holiday light shows.
When the new wheel rises above the Spectrum, Windal expects the reaction to be immediate.
“I think the first feeling will be, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize how high it is.’ ”
