Sneed: Is Wallenda’s high-wire act legal without a net?

Is it legal?

Getting wired: Adrenaline junkies eager to watch high-wire daredevil Nik Wallenda navigate two Chicago skyscrapers without a net will now get their chance on Nov. 2.

Or will they?

Sneed presumes that Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has given the green light, knows the walk violates the state’s Aerial Exhibitors Safety Act. Wallenda plans to traverse the Chicago River via Marina City’s west tower to the Leo Burnett building. After that, he’ll walk a high-wire between Marina City’s west and east towers.

The act prohibits any aerial act over 20 feet without the use of a safety net. Sneed has been waiting for an answer to the legality of the Wallenda skyscraper walk since April, when it was announced by Emanuel’s office.

Sneed has been waiting for an answer to the legality of the Wallenda skyscraper climb since April, when it was announced by Emanuel’s office.

A mayoral source told Sneed back then that the mayor had the option to exercise home-rule power if necessary.

There is no sign that has happened and calls to City Hall for the past two weeks have gone unanswered.

Last April, Wallenda’s manager, Winston Simone, told Sneed that Wallenda “would prefer not using a net — something his family hasn’t done for 200 years — but we will do whatever needs to be done to comply with the city and state.”

Three phone calls to Simone during the past few months have gone unreturned.

Hmmm. Was the Chicago River chosen as a location to act as the safety net?

Stay tuned for it all to be filmed by the Discovery Channel.

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