Since it was first opened to the public in 1909, there have been few changes to the Santa Monica Pier: a new paint job, some reinforced concrete beams and a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. that is just terrific. 2016 marks the first year in which we’ll see a significant shift in the pier’s overall aesthetic, because in February, the popular ferris wheel attraction is being moved 70-feet west of its current location in order to ensure better selfie opportunities for visitors.
Since the social media boom, residents and tourists alike have been trying to achieve the “perfect selfie” using the ferris wheel as their backdrop. Few have come close, but none have succeeded, which has turned the once shining beacon of the American Dream into an ill-placed eye-sore.
“Ever since I moved here, I’ve been trying to snag an amazing selfie by the pier, but I’ve never gotten it quite right,” says Instagram influencer, Allie Walker. “VSCO, Afterlight, Photoshop Mix, nothing seemed to work…after so many attempts, I decided that it wasn’t worth it. Now, I get my selfie’s in Long Beach near the aquarium.”
It appears as though Allie Walker is not the only one who has fled the once bustling seaside destination as attendance numbers have dropped significantly over the last few years.
This unexpected decision to move the wheel can be traced back to an off-books city-hall meeting in 2013 where Brandon Young, a freelance digital manager addressed his concerns:
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“…you’ll see that Santa Monica’s social impressions have taken a big hit over the years – after diving into the analytics, I’ve found that the lack of reach is due to the fact that hashtag selfie, hashtag pier and hashtag ferris wheel have not been used in conjunction in Santa Monica since 2010. My professional opinion is to change the location of the wheel. If something isn’t done soon, we could be wiped off of BuzzFeed’s ’14 Most Hashtaggable Cities List.'”
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Three years later, the city is looking to grant Brandon Young’s wishes. However, not everyone is on board with the plan.
“I have to say, I’m a tad confused,” says structural engineer Ernie Malmus. “I’ve never been involved in a project quite so ill-conceived. This is going to cost the city millions of dollars and cause damage to the pier itself.”
Mr. Malmus’ conclusions have been corroborated by numerous other over-40 engineers who just don’t understand how important a selfie is. Even Mayor Kevin McKeown is on-board, citing the move as an ‘economic responsibility’. “If folks that visit this fine city can’t get the photos they need to get, then how in the world are we going to stay in the black?” Exclaimed McKeown. “Tourists equal photographs, photographs on Instogroms [sic] and MySpace equal more tourists, more tourists equal more money. It’s a no-brainer.”
Only time will tell if this change will be welcome or if it will simply be destructive to the pier and a nuisance to the city. This decision comes right off the heels of a new law stating that in 2018, all local restaurants will be required to make all meals #foodporn photo ready.
