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It has been 32 years since WWE WrestleMania took place in Las Vegas, and the two sides are looking to make up for lost time.
As the WWE footprint seemingly expands every WrestleMania, no city is better prepared for the current scale than Vegas. A blend of logistical, entertainment and fan engagement factors creates the ideal destination for WWE’s biggest weekend.
With the Royal Rumble in the rearview and the countdown to April 19-20 in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about The Grandest Stage of Them All.
When you think of WWE, the word spectacle may come to mind. The same can be said for Las Vegas. Bright lights, luxury and high energy marry these two in a way few other cities can.
WrestleMania is the definitive wrestling weekend. It’s many fans’ chance to see an indie show, catch a brunch hosted by a wrestler, catch a wrestling show hosted by a rapper, view historical artifacts from WWE’s history, and attend a meet-and-greet with wrestlers from past and present. All while seeing fans dressed in their favorite merch take over the city.
Las Vegas hosts roughly 40 million tourists each year. It is a major draw for international fans, which aligns with WWE’s emphasis on expanding its global footprint. Last year, the city hosted Super Bowl 58, the NBA Summer League and a Formula 1 race, among other sporting events.
The city’s infrastructure will help fans cover more ground and feel like they squeezed in as much as possible while in town. The monorail allows for easy access from the hotels to Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena. The brand-new Loop allows for underground traveling through a tunnel that is ideal for patrons looking to attend WWE World at the Las Vegas Convention Center or WrestleCon at The Westgate Hotel.
Some years—WrestleMania 35 at MetLife Stadium being the ultimate example—there is chaos for one logistical reason or another. The last three ‘Manias, in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Dallas, are not what you would consider walkable cities. That leads to more time in transit and less time experiencing everything.
Few cities are better equipped to handle the massive crowds than Vegas and the world-famous Strip.
Only NFL Stadiums Can Fit a WrestleMania Crowd
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Vegas and WWE have come a long way since WrestleMania IX in 1993 when a mere 16,891 fans attended the one-night show at Caesars Palace.
Both nights of WrestleMania 41 will take place at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. The stadium, which opened in 2020 and has a climate-controlled seating capacity of 65,000, is the newest full-time NFL stadium, along with SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Since 2009, all but one WrestleMania has occurred at an NFL stadium, except for 2020 at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida during the pandemic. Moving forward, it’s fair to wonder if domes will also become a mandate. The latest rumors link New Orleans and its Casears Superdome to WrestleMania 42.
Another factor is having a large arena nearby to host the three other significant events around WrestleMania weekend: SmackDown, NXT Stand & Deliver and Raw. All three will occur at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Golden Knights, which seats around 20,000.
From High-Flying Action to High-Stakes Entertainment
From WWE World to WrestleCon to independent shows such as GCW Collective and Bloodsport, there is no shortage of wrestling events to attend during WrestleMania weekend.
But what separates Las Vegas from virtually every other host city is the sheer volume of entertainment options when you need a break from wrestling.
You can play Top Golf with a view of The Sphere in the background. You can attend a 21-and-up playground at Play! Playground at the Luxor. Enjoy an afternoon at AREA15, the immersive entertainment district just off the Strip. Play mini golf at Swingers, located at Mandalay Bay, in a nightclub-like environment.
There are world-class shows like Atomic Saloon and concerts the weekend of WrestleMania, featuring Motley Crue, The Chainsmokers and Marshmello, to name a few.
Even if you don’t want to attend WrestleMania in person, there is a watch party at the Stadium Swin at Circa on both nights. The party features the largest venue a pool has ever been inside and a 143-foot screen.
It is truly something for everybody, and the people watching late at night with thousands of fans walking around with their favorite wrestling gear will be a sight to behold.
The Potential For an All-Time Weekend
It remains unknown if fans will get the Roman Reigns vs. The Rock clash that is one of the true “dream matches” left in an era of WWE when it airs upwards of eight-plus hours of programming a week.
John Cena will be making his last WrestleMania appearance. Cody Rhodes will put his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line as he reaches one year with the title. Rhea Ripley will be looking to solidify her status as the top woman’s star, while Charlotte Flair is hunting for her 15th world championship after winning the women’s Royal Rumble.
Then, there is men’s Rumble winner Jey Uso, who has exploded onto the main event scene. A Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn grudge match that’s been in the making for over a decade. The list of compelling storylines goes on and on.
On paper, this is an all-time WrestleMania if the chips fall in the right places. Couple that with the ultimate ‘Mania location and fans attending the 41st edition of The Granddaddy of Them All will be in store for potentially one of the greatest WWE experiences of all time.
The house always wins in Vegas, and so does WWE thus far in the TKO and Triple H era. It seems like every WrestleMania sets a new box-office record, and you can expect that trend to continue in 2025.