Minneapolis is a finalist to host next year’s WrestleMania, the theatrical grappling extravaganza that promoters say brings hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits to the winning city, and is within weeks of finding out whether its bid is chosen.
Minneapolis smackdown? City is finalist to host WWE’s WrestleMania in ’25
If chosen, the pro wrestling extravaganza would be held at U.S. Bank Stadium. Boosters say the local economic benefit would approach Super Bowl levels.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 13, 2024 at 5:43PM
The nonprofit Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE), the lead organization working to bring major attractions to the Twin Cities, told the Star Tribune on Wednesday that it has submitted its pitch that the WWE hold its multiday, wildly popular blowout event at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Wendy Blackshaw, MNSE’s president and chief executive officer, said Minneapolis is one of several cities that World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) invited to participate in this “very competitive” battle for WrestleMania XLI. Minneapolis has never played host to a WrestleMania, despite the state’s history as a hotbed of pro wrestling.
“We are hopeful, and I hope we get it,” said Blackshaw, whose organization is funded by the Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul convention bureaus, corporations and the state’s pro sports teams. “It would be amazing.”
The winning city should find out next month, a few days before WWE publicly reveals the 2025 host city. Typically, WWE officials announce the location of the next WrestleMania around the time of the upcoming year’s event. In this case, WrestleMania XL is April 6-7 in Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Blackshaw said WrestleMania is within hollering distance of the Super Bowl when it comes to generating revenue for a host community. Tens of thousands of visitors can be expected to spend money on lodging, dining, rental cars and other local attractions. Los Angeles last year put that number at $235 million, and Dallas in 2022 claimed a $215 million economic benefit, she said.
Blackshaw attended the WrestleMania in Los Angeles last year and found “it was nothing like I had ever seen in my whole life,” she said. “The ages were 5 to 95; little kids, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. The pageantry, it’s unreal.”
Among WWE’s roster of wrestlers is Gable Steveson, the former University of Minnesota heavyweight national champion and gold medal Olympian.
MNSE has had a run of good fortune of late attracting major events to the Twin Cities. That includes this month’s men’s and women’s Big Ten basketball tournaments, the 2022 Men’s Final Four basketball tournament and the 11-day World Junior hockey tournament, which straddles 2025 and 2026.
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