Nik Wallenda to walk tightrope 50 stories above Chicago River

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Often described as the "King of the Wire," daredevil acrobat Nik Wallenda is at it again - this time planning a tightrope walk 50 stories over the Chicago River.

Wallenda said he originally wanted to walk up to the Willis Tower, but unfortunately there was no good building to walk from. Once he settled on the iconic Marina City buildings, his eye landed on the rooftop of Leo Burnett.

"I love this city. My sister lived here for almost 13 years. And I've spent a lot of time with her," Wallenda said. "I performed for three months at the Goodman Theatre, and that's when I had that vision. Hey, I want to do something big in this city."

That something big will come on Nov. 2, when Wallenda will attempt to walk 50 stories above the Chicago River. The two-part tightrope event, rising to an incline of 15 degrees, will take Wallenda on a two-block walk from Marina City's West Tower to the Leo Burnett Building. He will also walk between Marina City's West and East Towers.

"It's all about the challenge. Winds are always a challenge. They're a wire walker's worst enemy. It's always one element I can't control," he said.

Wallenda's adventures span the globe. In 2013 he successfully crossed the Grand Canyon. In Chicago, it will be about setting everything up as to not disturb the regular flow of traffic. There is also the matter of a state law that prohibits aerial performances without a net. Wallenda is not worried.

"For Niagara Falls we had to change a law in the United States and legislation that was over 100-years-old that eventually Governor Cuomo signed which, in effect, allowed me to do that," Wallenda said.

And while walking along a tightrope the size of a quarter may not be everyone's cup of tea, for Wallenda, it's a way of life.

"I live by three words. They're 'never give up,'" he said. "Hopefully it's inspirational to others. That whatever their dreams are that they'll pursue them and whatever the challenges ahead, they'll continue to push on no matter what they face."

Wallenda lives in Sarasota, Fla., so over the next several weeks he'll be using a wind tunnel to simulate Chicago conditions on Nov. 2. Adding to the drama, the stunt will be performed at night.