ORLANDO, Fla. -- An original 22-foot section of a staircase from the Eiffel Tower that was auctioned in 1983 is being stored in Orlando and could be worth nearly $3 million, according to its owner.

Culley Davis, who works for Gold's Gym, showed the rustic staircase to Local 6 News on Tuesday, providing an appraisal letter from Antique Architectural Authentication.

Davis, who lives in South Florida, is storing the staircase at an Orlando warehouse. The only other piece of the Eiffel Tower in the United States is on display at the Statue of Liberty, Local 6 News reported.

The appraisal letter, signed by Rodney Flounders, said extensive research and a hands-on examination led to the conclusion that the structure is one of the sections of the original staircase that was removed from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

A 9-foot section of original staircase was sold for $710,000 at an auction in Paris in November 2008. In the letter, Flounders said Davis' staircase "could easily sell at auction between $1.5 million to $2.75 million."

Davis said he learned of the structure's potential value while watching a TV show and contacted a company to have the piece appraised.

Davis told Local 6 News that players from Los Angeles Lakers and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas have shown interest in purchasing the staircase.