New Orleans has been chosen to host WrestleMania 34 in 2018. This news isn’t sitting well with many wrestling fans considering New Orleans just had the event three years ago in 2014 with WrestleMania 30. Many are asking why another city wasn’t given the chance to host “The Showcase of the Immortals”?

WrestleMania has become a big money event for cities. Next to the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four, wrestling’s flagship show is one of the hottest and most coveted entertainment/sporting events in the US, as it gives local economies a huge boost. That key reason is why bidding for the spectacle has gotten more competitive over the past few years. Last year’s WrestleMania 32, which took place at AT&T Stadium, generated $170.4 million for the Dallas/Arlington region. The year before, WrestleMania 31 generated $139 million for the Santa Clara/San Jose area. With hundreds of millions of dollars to be made, it’s understandable why fans and city officials are passionate about landing WrestleMania.  

With so many cities and grand venues to choose from, WWE’s decision to return so soon to The Big Easy is a bit of a head scratcher for fans hoping to experience the wrestling celebration in a new locale. Being the voice of the people, we look to set things right by picking 5 cities that deserve a shot at hosting the “Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment.”  

Minneapolis, MN

“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” seems very apropos when it comes to Minneapolis’ attempts at landing WrestleMania. Last year they were beat out by Orlando, FL for WrestleMania 33 (this April) and now New Orleans snatched away the event for 2018. Minneapolis has the brand new US Bank Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility that is home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. This billion-dollar venue has already lined up the Super Bowl in 2018, the NCAA Final Four in 2019 and the X Games this year and next. Even with all of this going for it, the city hasn’t been able to get WWE to bring WrestleMania to its new stadium.

For being such a wrestling hotbed, the state of Minnesota has surprisingly never hosted a WrestleMania. Minneapolis was once the home base for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), a pro wrestling promotion run by Verne Gagne that ran from the 1960s to the early ’90s. Names like Hulk Hogan, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, “Mean Gene” Okerlund and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan started in the AWA. In addition, the area has spawned great talents like “Mr. Perfect” Curt Henning, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Bob Backlund and more recently, Chad Gable. Hopefully the third time’s the charm and WWE will give Minneapolis its turn in 2019.