Minnesota in Discussions With WWE for Future Events After Losing WrestleMania 41 Bid

Minneapolis was in contention to host WrestleMania 41.

By Haley Miller

WWE officially announced the location of WrestleMania 41 after a year of speculation about where the huge two-day event would land next. For a year it was said that Minneapolis, Minnesota was a finalist to host the Premium Live Event, the first major WrestleMania to be held in the state. Officials seemed fairly confident that it was going to land there, but somewhere along the way plans changed. Earlier this year WWE hosted a WrestleMania 40 kickoff event in Las Vegas which is now the confirmed location for next year. 

Minnesota state officials aren't giving up hope on hosting a future WWE event in the state, though, as the Minnesota Sports and Events's president and chief executive Wendy Blackshaw confirmed that they are in talks about bringing WWE to Minnesota down the line. 

"We were informed by WWE that Minnesota would not host WrestleMania in 2025 due to a change in direction by new ownership," Blackshaw confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune. "Although disappointed, we are in discussions with WWE about future events in Minnesota. We are optimistic that Minnesota will host WWE events here in the future."

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In April of 2023 a leak revealed that Minnesota was the projected frontrunner to host the extravagant WrestleMania 41. Though the state has a rich professional wrestling history, they haven't hosted one of the "big four" shows since SummerSlam 1999. Back in March a House of Representatives hearing on bill HF 3934, which discusses Minnesota's sports and events grant, took the floor. During the discussion, an unnamed event was brought up with the financial impact "second only to the Super Bowl." Legislators approved the new multiplatform campaign aimed at attracting visitors to Minnesota. Star of the North is a hefty $22 million marketing campaign that will be spread across two years.

During an event announcing the campaign, Governor Tim Walz made it clear that Minnesota is the place to be for sports no matter if it's wrestling, gymnastics, or hockey. "This is the place to be. Those are the things we need to be doing. So, for all of you attracting folks here, attracting conventions. Whether it's coming up with the USA Gymnastic Trials or the US Junior Hockey Championships," Walz points to Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "And we're not going to forget WrestleMania and things like that," (crowd laughs). "You know, when they told me that, I'm like, 'oh,' but want to know best about this?" he points to the crowd. "That thing is a $20 million dollar impact in the local economy. It's big."

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