Vince McMahon comments on Wrestlemania 24 going to Florida.
The Orlando Sentinel features comments from Vince McMahon on Wrestlemania 24 heading to Florida. Interesting to note is that Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer actually approached McMahon about bringing the event to the city. When WWE brings Wrestlemania to Sunshine State, the tentative plan is to tape TV in other markets, most likely Tampa and Jacksonville that week following the PPV.
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Full article:
WrestleMania in Orlando: 'The time is now'
By Lynn Hoppes | Associate Managing Editor for Sports
Posted March 21, 2007, 12:54 PM EDT
"It's about time Florida hosted a WrestleMania," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman, this morning as he announced Wrestlemania 24 is coming to Orlando next March. "We could not be more excited about bringing WrestleMania, the world's No. 1 sports entertainment event, to Orlando, the No. 1 tourist destination in the world."
It's kind of funny he said that this morning.
I've talked with him for almost 15 years about bringing wrestling's Super Bowl to Orlando. At pay-per-view events. At other media events. Even at an XFL news conference.
Each time, he said Orlando's venue -- the Amway Arena (which holds about 17,000) -- wasn't big enough, because most WrestleManias draw at least 50,000 people.
I would mention the Citrus Bowl, it all its glory. It could hold more than 60,000.
He'd say, I'm not sure about having it outside. The weather was the biggest problem, because you never know about rain in the spring.
WWE did have an event, WrestleMania 9, in the parking lot of a hotel in Las Vegas.
Well, this morning, I brought up our discussion once again.
His response, with a smirk: "There is a time and place for everything, and the time is now."
He gave big props to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Central Florida Sports Commission president John Saboor.
"They made it happen," he said.
What an interesting year it'll be.
