UPDATE: WWE also sent out this press release featuring comments from Vince McMahon, Florida Governor Rick Scott, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs others:
ORLANDO CITRUS BOWL TO HOST WRESTLEMANIA
ORLANDO, Fla., MARCH 8, 2016 – Florida Governor Rick Scott, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, the Central Florida Sports Commission and WWE® (NYSE: WWE) are proud to announce that the Orlando Citrus Bowl will host WWE’s pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania, on Sunday, April 2, 2017.
“We’re excited to bring this event back to Orlando. Florida set a tourism record by welcoming 105 million visitors in 2015, and WWE will help bring even more visitors to Florida in 2017,” said Florida Governor Rick Scott. “We’re excited WWE once again chose Florida to host WrestleMania.”
“The city of Orlando is extremely proud to have WrestleMania return to the Citrus Bowl,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “WrestleMania 33 will proudly display to the world the incredible reconstruction that recently went into transforming the iconic Citrus Bowl.”
“We are delighted that WWE has chosen Central Florida as the host destination for its signature event,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, “The week-long series of events will provide a significant economic boost to our region, while giving visitors a chance to experience Orlando’s world-class attractions.”
“Orlando is the home to so many family-friendly, global attractions so it’s only fitting that it once again plays host to WrestleMania,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “On behalf of everyone at WWE, thank you Governor Scott, Mayor Dyer and Mayor Jacobs for bringing WrestleMania back to the Citrus Bowl.”
WrestleMania is more than just a one-day event; it’s a week-long celebration that will stretch throughout the Orlando region. In addition to WrestleMania, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day interactive fan festival at the Orange County Convention Center; the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Amway Center; Monday Night Raw® at the Amway Center; Be a STAR® anti-bullying rallies; hospital visits and other community outreach initiatives designed to give back to the host community. The event will be broadcast live on WWE Network and pay-per-view in more than 180 countries. For four consecutive years, WrestleMania has generated more than $100 million in economic impact for its host region. This year, WrestleMania 32 takes place Sunday, April 3 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
ORIGINAL: WWE sent out the following press release, confirming WrestleMania 33 will be held in Orlando, Florida:
WrestleMania 33 comes to Florida in 2017 – WWE’s pop-culture extravaganza takes over the Orlando Citrus Bowl on April 2, 2017. WrestleMania 33 is coming to Orlando, Fla.
Next year’s Showcase of the Immortals will emanate from the Orlando Citrus Bowl on Sunday, April 2, 2017, the “Orlando Sentinel” reported late Monday night.
The event marks the second time that the Citrus Bowl has hosted WrestleMania, and the third time that The Grandest Stage of Them All has touched down in Florida. The Citrus Bowl was also the site of WrestleMania XXIV in 2008, where Big Show famously fought boxer Floyd Mayweather. WrestleMania then returned to Florida four years later, when The Rock defeated John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania XXVIII, held at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium.
WWE will hold a press event Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET to officially announce the huge event.
