Report Details How Las Vegas Won Bid For WWE Wrestlemania 41

WWE is reportedly receiving a $5 million grant in exchange for bringing WrestleMania to Las Vegas in 2025. As reported in May, following the April announcement that WrestleMania 41 would be hosted by Vegas, WWE will be getting millions of dollars for its marquee event next year as part of a set of incentives from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 

Wrestlenomics confirmed that report on Wednesday through a public records request, adding that the deal came together in less than two months before it was officially announced, coming at a time when Minneapolis was the reported front-runner. Emails between WWE and LVCVA reportedly indicate that WWE will be getting rent-free usage of the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall, and will also benefit from a branding awareness campaign provided by the LVCVA. It is also reported that the LVCVA paid WWE $300,000 in site fees for SummerSlam 2021, as well as a $30,000 marketing value. WWE is further said to be a topic of discussion between authorities too, as demonstrated in an email exchange between Executive Director of the Detroit Sports Commission, David Beachnau, and LVCVA Senior Director of Sports and Special Events, Lisa Motley, in June 2023. 

"[D]id you guys commit to/do much welcome/branding when you hosted?" Beachnau reportedly wrote to Motley two months ahead of SummerSlam 2023 in Detroit. "They're [WWE] trying to squeeze some stuff out of us, and wasn't sure if they used the same tactic with you guys." Beachnau communicated that negotiations with WWE staff were more difficult than those held with former executive John Saboor. "With Saboor gone (along with a handful of new folks), they're becoming a bit of a challenge for us," Beachnau reportedly added in his message to Motley.

Motley was said to be central to the deal to bring WrestleMania to Vegas, but had been telling colleagues via email in February that there were no discussions with WWE at that time. It was then announced that the WrestleMania Kick Off Show would be held in Vegas, with email records reportedly indicating Motley to have set up a meeting with TKO live events executive Pete Dropick for March 4, which is believed to be when discussions surrounding a future event in Vegas started.

At the same time, Minneapolis became the public front-runner after teasing comments from Wendy Blackshaw — President, Minnesota Sports & Events — to the Minnesota House of Representatives on March 6. Local media, including the "StarTribune" on March 13, ran articles touting Minneapolis as a "finalist" for the 2025 WrestleMania event, with a link to the "StarTribune" article reportedly being passed to Motley by a local ad executive. "Yikes!" she replied, noting that a UFC executive had told her Minneapolis had not been informed they were out of the running, "[WWE/TKO] should probably do that soon."

An employee from another ad agency had also contacted LVCVA staff on March 14, urging a pursuit of WrestleMania in Vegas while there was still time for it to be announced at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. After which, Motley traveled to Philadelphia alongside LVCVA COO Brian Yost to attend 'Mania and meet with WWE, with Nick Khan reportedly writing to Motley and Yost with praise, "I am so proud of the great work you have both done where Las Vegas is finally recognized as the destination spot for massive sporting events." Wrestlenomics also obtained a pitch deck used to sell WrestleMania to Vegas around the time of 'Mania 40. The slides are shown to have pushed the benefit of WrestleMania on the local economy. Neither WWE or LVCVA have provided comment on the report so far.