NEWPORT BEACH – The iconic carousel that has spun in the Balboa Fun Zone for 25 years is now for sale on eBay.

Carousel owner Patrick Moore said he doubts the ride will actually sell on eBay, but it’s a good place to garner interest. It’s listed for $149,999 as “Balboa Fun Zone’s Historic Merry Go Round,” though Moore said he’d like to sell it for a higher price.

The Newport Harbor Nautical Museum owns the land the carousel currently stands on, and officials told Moore last month that they wouldn’t be renewing the lease come Sept. 30. The museum is going to replace the merry go round with a preview center for an upcoming project.

Moore said he’s gotten interest from a number of clients, including some cities looking to put the carousel in their parks.

The ideal place for the carousel would be somewhere in Balboa, Moore said, though there is a low chance of that happening.

“I’d like to see it go somewhere that it’ll continue in the same type of environment, meaning with families and kids,” Moore said. “I don’t want to see it go into storage somewhere.”

The carousel has stood on Balboa’s waterfront since 1985, and when it leaves, less than a week after the Fun Zone celebrates its 75th anniversary, it will be the first time the mini amusement park will be without a carousel.

Moore said he thinks someone will buy the carousel before the lease runs out. It’s up to the buyer to arrange moving the ride, though Moore said he’d help in the process.

If no one buys the ride before the deadline, Moore will have to do exactly what he’s trying to avoid – dismantle the merry-go-round, which would take one or two days, and put it in storage.

See a Facebook page devoted to saving the carousel