Let Them Ride Ferris Wheels: Morrisey’s $2M Attraction Amid WV Water Crisis

By Matthew Young

Gov. Patrick Morrisey, on Friday, hosted a media event on the grounds of the State Capitol where he allowed reporters to photograph him taking the first ride on the $2 million America 250 ferris wheel. 

“That was very cool,” Morrisey proclaimed after stepping down from the ferris wheel. “That is an incredible ride. I think so many people across West Virginia are going to enjoy it.”

Joining Morrisey for his ride on the 230-foot transportable carnival attraction was West Virginia First Lady Denise Morrisey, as well as Major General James Seward, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, along with his wife, Leslie. 

“I hope people will have a chance to come,” Morrisey said. “I’m hopeful many, many thousands of people will enjoy this. This is about West Virginia families, and I hope people realize, you know [the] 250th anniversary of a country doesn’t come around very often.”

Morrisey’s ferris wheel is part of what State Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby called “a legendary, larger-than-life celebration” in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The “celebration” is scheduled to run through Sunday, and will include a drone light show, a tribute to Gold Star families, and a National Guard flyover. The celebration will also feature musical performance by Alabama, The Marshall Tucker Band, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Special “America 250” merchandise has been produced and is available for purchase, as well as a commemorative license plate which is now available at local DMV offices. 

“This is something that West Virginians [will] remember for the rest of your lives,” Morrisey said during a press conference on May 28. “You can feel it in the air. The energy – people are getting very excited.”

The celebration, however, is not without both criticism and controversy. The Sternwheel Regatta, the City of Charleston’s most financially lucrative annual event, is taking place on the same days as the America 250 celebration. The ferris wheel and associated America 250 attractions and concerts are free to attend. And while the Regatta’s nightly concerts are also free, most other rides and attractions are not, which would seem to create direct competition between the two four-day events. 

When asked about the potential conflict during the same May 28 press conference, Morrisey said, “This is going to be a complimentary effort.”

“We’ve been working very closely with [Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin] and her office, and the goal is to do this so that people can have an opportunity to participate in the Regatta [ … ]. There’s going to be a real effort to make sure that this is not in conflict with one another.”

While Morrisey further added that free shuttles will be provided to transport attendees between the two celebrations, city officials who spoke with BBG were unable to confirm any collaboration between the City of Charleston and the Governor’s office regarding the overlapping events. However, collaboration and shuttle buses notwithstanding, the existence of a no-cost alternative is likely to entice some attendees to forego the Regatta in favor of the free ferris wheel, thus diminishing the Regatta’s expected revenue. 

Another source of contention is Morrisey’s apparent disregard for Juneteenth. While the governor did, for the second straight year, issue a proclamation recognizing the federal holiday, also for the second straight year, he declined to allow state employees to take the day from work. There were no state-sponsored Juneteenth celebrations in either 2025 or 2026. Instead, Morrisey scheduled an America 250 Freedom Pageant for June 19, which included no connection to the history or holiday of Juneteenth. 

On Wednesday, the State Department of Revenue announced that, as of the conclusion of Fiscal Year 2026, West Virginia is sitting on a $370 million surplus. 

“When you focus on the fundamentals and exercise fiscal discipline, we put West Virginia in a position to end the fiscal year strong as revenues continued to outpace our profections,” Morrisey said in a press release confirming the surplus. “Because of our significant surplus, we will fund [ … ] $125 million for roads and infrastructure, fully fund the Hope Scholarship, and other important priorities.”

Morrisey added that his Fiscal Year 2028 budget proposal will “aggressively fund education, foster care, infrastructure, law enforcement, and other key initiatives.” However, absent from his statement was any mention of addressing the ongoing water crises severely impacting the southern coalfields. 

Read Martec Washington’s op-ed, “Toxic Water Corporate Handouts: Water Crises of West Crises of West Virginia,” at blackbygod.org

According to the National Institute of Health, West Virginia currently has 54,881 families living below the poverty line. The Worlds Population Review ranks the Mountain State 44th in the nation in education, a modest improvement from 45th place in 2025. And despite the state having over $370 million in the bank, U.S News and World Report puts West Virginia’s median household income at just under $39,000 per year. 

Morrisey, for his part, is not oblivious to the struggles of many West Virginians, as he has addressed them during various press conferences and public statements. Morrisey also had a public spat with his fellow Republicans in the House of Delegates after they failed to pass his water reform plan. However, much like President Donald Trump, a man whom Morrisey often emulates, he has foregone an appropriately modest event in favor of “a legendary, larger-than-life celebration.” 

While speaking, on May 18, with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Marshall University Associate Professor of Political Science Marbeth Beller said that Morrisey “follows Trump’s behavior very closely and tries to emulate that on a state level.”

Morrisey has made no secret of his adoration for Trump. And has implemented many Trump policies – notably the executive order he signed immediately after assuming office that eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion policies within all state-funded agencies. 

While Morrisey’s ferris wheel is, as he put it, “very cool,” to many it will be remembered as less a symbol of America’s history and longevity, and more of a 230-foot example of a governor seemingly detached from the needs of his constituents.