Mayor Rahm Emanuel today joined Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Kelly Gardner and students from Ogden International School to officially open Chicago’s new icon, the Centennial Wheel. The Wheel opens to the public today at noon, kicking off the Pier’s Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration®.

At nearly 200-feet tall, the Centennial Wheel is 50-feet taller than its predecessor, accommodates up to 180 more passengers per ride and is operational 365 days a year thanks to temperature-controlled gondolas and the latest in attraction technology.
“Today we are honoring Chicago’s history as the birthplace of the Ferris Wheel, while we celebrate the centennial of Navy Pier,” Mayor Emanuel said. “But just as important, with the opening of this Centennial Wheel we are beginning a future for Navy Pier that will be even better than its past.”

“America’s next great Wheel is opening here at Navy Pier, befitting for Chicago as the birthplace of the very first Ferris wheel and befitting for Navy Pier as we commemorate 100 years of being the ‘People’s Pier,’” Gardner said. “We are honored to mark the beginning of our next 100 years with the opening of the Centennial Wheel. It is with great pride that we take the first rides and, with each spin, we celebrate its past while continuing to progress toward the future.”

The Centennial Wheel will light up the Chicago skyline nightly thanks to LED technology on the spokes and rim. Show times for the light show will vary and will be coordinated with the Pier’s Aon Summer Fireworks on Wednesdays and Saturdays and other fireworks shows that are held. Images of the Centennial Wheel are available here.
Guests can choose from expanded ticket options, including all-day rides, discounts for military and children, “fast pass” tickets and special free and Illinois resident discounted rides on special dates.
Today marks the completion of the first phase of Navy Pier’s comprehensive redesign and redevelopment as announced by Navy Pier’s leadership team as a part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Elevate Chicago Tourism Initiative in 2013.

Year-long festivities will include unveilings of park enhancements, new programming and special events, Chicago dining options, and compelling landscape and design features that will continue to elevate the Pier’s status as an iconic destination.
“Navy Pier is an icon in Chicago,” Navy Pier, Inc., Chairman William J. Brodsky said. “This new Centennial Wheel is one of many examples of the continuing investment we are making in the Pier’s future to ensure that Navy Pier remains the top leisure destination and a source of pride for every single person who visits Navy Pier.”

Fifth Third Bank Partnership

Recently, Navy Pier proudly welcomed Fifth Third Bank as the title sponsor of the Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration® at Navy Pier.

“We are so pleased and proud to join Navy Pier as a partner in this historic celebration of 100 years,” said Robert Sullivan, Regional President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank. “We’re honored to support this landmark and its guests and join Navy Pier in inviting the people of Chicago and beyond to enjoy Navy Pier in a whole new way.”

Redevelopment of Navy Pier

In celebration of this achievement and the Centennial milestone, the Pier will host a summer packed with inaugural activities, ceremonies, festivals and events.

“We have many partners to thank, including the world-renowned architect teams at James Corner Field Operations and Gensler, which have led the physical transformation of the Pier resulting in spectacular changes to our open spaces and the introduction of public programs and water features,” said Gardner. “And we thank Fifth Third Bank for being a tremendous partner and supporting what will be a celebration to remember for millions of guests this year and beyond.”

“We are excited to celebrate the completion of the first-phase transformation of Navy Pier and the return of a new ‘People’s Pier,’” says James Corner of James Corner Field Operations. “We have reimagined South Dock as a new green spine that extends all the way from Lake Michigan back into the city and anchors a series of plazas, museums, theaters, restaurants, and social destinations that exemplify the vitality of Chicago life and culture. Together these places render the Pier as a newly sustainable, authentic, and world-class center of activity and culture tied back into the very essence that is Chicago.”
In addition to the Centennial Wheel, new features and enhancements include:

• Polk Bros Fountain and Plaza: Navy Pier will unveil its dramatically transformed entrance with the introduction of the new Polk Bros Fountain and Plaza Friday, May 27. The Fountain and Plaza were made possible by the Polk Brothers Foundation, who generously donated $20 million in 2014 to rename and redevelop the park that serves as the gateway to Navy Pier. The inviting new plaza and signature fountain will turn on for the first time Friday, May 27 at 1:30 p.m., anchoring Polk Bros Park’s newly expanded green space. With more than 150 programmable jets, the fountain will mimic the movements of waves, schools of fish, or flocks of birds providing variety and interest. During the winter months, the fountain will convert to an ice skating rink. The rest of the park development will be completed in 2017.
• South Dock Transformation: The completed transformation of the South Dock has resulted in one of the most beautiful stretches of open space in Chicago. This enhanced, environmentally friendly space provides guests with room for more enjoyable strolls and runs a mile east into Lake Michigan, with spectacular, unobstructed views of Chicago and stronger connectivity to water, all while increasing Navy Pier’s commitment to sustainability. The project is on track to be one of the first SITES® certified projects in the world. Managed by the US Green Building Council, SITES® is the newest and most comprehensive international system for developing and evaluating sustainable landscapes.
• Elevated Dining Experience: Navy Pier now features one of the top dining experiences in the city by expanding its South Arcade. The redesigned Food Experience opens up to uninhibited views of the lake with a curvaceous “wave wall” and provides a variety of authentic Chicago cuisine via partnerships with some of the most popular local restaurants. Restaurants include Big Bowl Chinese Express, Big City Chicken, DMK Burger Bar and Fish Bar, Frankie’s Pizza by the Slice, Freshii, Goddess and the Baker, Porkchop, Original Rainbow Cone and Snow Dragon Shavery. Set to open this summer is Tiny Tavern, a new location of the popular North Side bar, Tiny Lounge, and additional new Chicago-based restaurants to be announced later this year.
• Getting Here: Navy Pier has made a number of transportation enhancements to make visiting the Pier easier for all, whether traveling by car, foot or public transportation. New bike share and bike parking options are available close to the entrance of the South Dock. Navy Pier garages have 1,500 spaces for parking for flat all-day rates, and drivers can now reserve spots in Navy Pier’s garages via Click and Park, a guaranteed parking feature available online at navypier.com. Discounted validated parking is also available at nearby Grand Plaza Park (540 N. State) and Ogden Plaza Self Park (300 E. North Water) garages for $15 when validated at Navy Pier. Guests are now also alerted to the number of parking spaces available at the Pier through enhanced digital signage. Other Pier improvements include dedicated Lyft and Uber locations, improved traffic lanes, free electric shuttles along the pier and expanded free trolley service. Guests can also access Navy Pier through improved pedestrian access, in addition to Divvy and CTA options. 
• Summer 2016 Events

The Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration® at Navy Pier will include unforgettable summer events for guests of all ages:

• The Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Challenge Chicago will be hosted by Navy Pier on Lake Michigan on June 10-12. Navy Pier will make maritime history as the first-ever freshwater venue chosen to host an America’s Cup racing event.
• PEPSI® Tall Ships® Chicago, a world-class nautical event, will return for another year, offering Chicago the chance to experience this treasured tradition of exploring some of the world’s most historic vessels dockside at Navy Pier. July 27- 31, 2016
• The Aon Summer Fireworks Series will return as one of Chicago’s favorite summer traditions, with fireworks lighting up the skyline on Wednesday and Saturday evenings throughout the summer. Starting Memorial Day Weekend, fireworks are on Saturday at 10:15 pm and Wednesday at 9:30 pm through Labor Day Weekend.
• It will also include Fourth of July fireworks, Navy Pier’s 100th Birthday on July 15 including a special Miller Lite Toast to the Century and special fireworks show; and Venetian Night on September 10.

Redevelopment Continuation

The development and Centennial Celebration will continue beyond 2016, as Navy Pier looks ahead to 2017.

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater recently announced its expansion with an innovative third performance venue, The Yard, a transformative, bold theater space that marks a significant cultural milestone for Navy Pier. It will open for the 2017/2018 season.
• Navy Pier recently announced plans for a hotel for the first time in the Pier’s history and the selection of First Hospitality Group as the developer, providing guests the ability to spend the night on the Pier.
• Public spaces along the length of the Pier are being continually improved through redesigned landscape and streetscape under the vision of James Corner Field Operations, which was behind for the award-winning High Line Park in New York.
• As one of Chicago’s top cultural spaces, Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision calls for continued investment in new free arts and cultural programming. Navy Pier is in the process of developing its Arts and Discovery strategic plan organized around the “pillars” of Arts, Culture and History, Environment and Community and will announce details of its pilot program later this summer.
• A key element of the Pier’s Centennial Vision will be transforming the Family Pavilion into a more open and refreshed space, mirroring the design of the South Arcade, and with a focus on retail. Construction plans are being finalized and Navy Pier will announce more detail in the coming months.

About Navy Pier

Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top-attended leisure destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than 8 million guests annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. In 2016, Navy Pier celebrates its 100th anniversary with a series of special events and programming, the grand opening of its new Centennial Wheel and ongoing pier-wide redevelopment efforts as part of the Centennial Vision. Navy Pier, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, maintains and oversees historic Navy Pier and its redevelopment into a bolder, greener and more contemporary urban space. For more information, visit our website at www.navypier.com.

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $142 billion in assets and operates 1,241 full-service Banking Centers, including 95 Bank Mart® locations, most open seven days a week, inside select grocery stores and over 2,500 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has an 18.3% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2016, had $303 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $26 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender

About James Corner Field Operations

Founded in 1999, James Corner Field Operations is a leading-edge landscape architecture and urban design practice based in New York City. Serving an international clientele, the practice is renowned for strong contemporary design across a variety of project types and scales, from large urban districts and complex planning sites, to small well-crafted, detail design projects. In all of the work, there is a special commitment to the design of a vibrant and dynamic public realm, informed by the ecology of both people and nature.

James Corner is the founder and director of Field Operations. With over 25 years of experience in the field, he directs all design projects in the office. Together with over 50 exceptionally talented design and planning professionals in the office, the practice sustains the highest levels of artistic creativity combined with professional responsiveness, building projects that are as imaginative and dynamic as they are responsive to client needs, communication, schedule, deadlines, cost, feasibility and ease of implementation.

The practice’s project types include entire sectors of cities, waterfronts, post-industrial urban districts, intimate garden spaces, large public parks and urban spaces, housing and mixed use developments, the reclamation of landfills, brown-fields and other derelict landscapes for new public uses and private development, and preservation of large-scale natural resources. Major projects include leading the design of the High Line in New York City; Race Street Pier in Philadelphia; Tongva Park in Santa Monica; the Master Plan and subsequent site design of Seattle’s Central Waterfront; the Cornell Tech Campus in New York; and the Presidio Master Plan and Parklands in San Francisco.

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