Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
High-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Quad Cities River Bandits Quad Cities River Bandits

Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride May 24 to benefit Genesis Foundation

Only 300 tickets will be sold through Genesis for noon event Saturday, May 24, before 6 p.m. game
May 14, 2014

The Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride event and fundraiser is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 24, to kick off a Memorial Day Weekend grand opening for the new attraction. Ticket proceeds from the event at Modern Woodmen Park will go to benefit the Genesis Health Services Foundation in the Quad Cities.

Event tickets are available at Modern Woodmen Park or by calling the Genesis Foundation at 563-421-6865. Only 300 tickets will be sold for the inaugural ride event, and attendees have the chance to be among the 100 drawn to participate in the first ride of the Ferris Wheel.

May 24th, the doors will open for the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride event at noon, with appetizers, giveaways, music and a cash bar in the Budweiser Champions Club. The event is exclusively for the 300 advance ticket holders. From the 300 event tickets, 100 will be selected at 1 p.m. for the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. Additional rides will be offered until 3 p.m.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Genesis Health Services Foundation, specifically Camp Genesis, Genesis NICU and Flu-Free QC. In addition, a portion of every Ferris wheel ride ticket sold this season will be donated to the Genesis Health Services Foundation for children's health and wellness.

"We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the Genesis Health Services Foundation for the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride, which will begin an entire season of giving back to the Quad Cities community," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "The Ferris wheel is about gathering the people of the entire region to come to the Quad Cities, downtown Davenport, and Modern Woodmen Park for affordable, family-friendly entertainment, which is going to the next level with the Ferris wheel!"

"We're grateful to be the charity of choice to receive proceeds from the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride and throughout the season," said Melinda "Missy" Gowey, Genesis Health Services Foundation Executive Director. "What better way to support children's health and wellness than with an attraction that 'brings out the child' in all of us. Thanks to the River Bandits, this is going to be an exciting summer in support of our community's kids."

Following the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride event, at 4:30 p.m., the gates of Modern Woodmen Park will open for the 6 p.m. River Bandits game, and fans in attendance may purchase tickets at the amusement areas to ride the Ferris wheel. The first 1,500 fans to the ballpark that night will also receive a free Carlos Correa bobblehead, courtesy of CBS4 WHBF and APAC Customer Services.

The amusements of Modern Woodmen Park will be open throughout Memorial Day weekend. While the River Bandits are on the road, the general public may still come to the ballpark to ride the Ferris wheel and enjoy the amusements. The amusement areas of Modern Woodmen Park will be open noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 25, which is also the rain date for the Inaugural Ferris Wheel Ride event. On Monday, May 26, the ballpark will be open noon to 6 p.m. on Memorial Day.

The amusement rides are scheduled to be open - weather permitting - to fans at every River Bandits home game, and will also be open on weekend non-game days: Fridays 6 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-noon and 6 p.m.-10 p.m., and Sundays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ferris wheel rides are $5 each (two for $8, four for $15), and Bounce QC Kids Zone access is $5 per child. An all-you-can-ride-and-bounce daily pass is $20, and a season pass for unlimited rides and play in the Bounce QC Kids Zone is $49.

UP NEXT: The official lighting of the Ferris Wheel will be a part of Markdown Monday when the River Bandits open their next homestand May 19 at Modern Woodmen Park. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and bleacher tickets, as well as hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, nachos, soda and beer are just $2 each for the 7 p.m. game. Tickets are available online at www.riverbandits.com. Don't miss the great light show that comes with the new Ferris Wheel! To order any of the ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 110 feet over the playing field, will open May 24, along with a new ride called a "Drop and Twist," an expanded 300-foot long zip line, and many other new games and attractions. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.