Las Vegas may have scored big with WrestleMania 41, but according to Dave Meltzer, there’s a deeper reason WWE might be sticking around—Vegas needs the business.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer broke down why WWE and Las Vegas could be a long-term match, and it goes beyond flashy stadiums and packed crowds. The city is experiencing a serious dip in international tourism, and that’s hitting its economy hard.
“Vegas is hurting. That’s—which is actually the part of the story that no one’s talking about—is Vegas is hurting. And they did… and also that Vegas did so well that weekend with all those tourists. The thing that’s really hurting Vegas is that, you know, people from foreign countries are not coming.”
Even with WrestleMania selling out both nights, the usual flood of fans from across the globe wasn’t there. Meltzer noted that this year’s crowd looked far more domestic than past Manias, pointing to a shift that could have major implications.
“Even at Mania, it felt like… even though Mania sold out both shows and there were a lot of people in town, I just felt like most of the people were from the United States. Like, you didn’t have… I mean, I just remember Mania, meeting people from especially Europe, South America, you know, the Far East—I mean everywhere. And this year it was mostly different states. It was different.”
Vegas depends on international tourists to keep its economy humming, and right now, that flow has dried up. Meltzer explained that political reasons are keeping foreign travelers away from the U.S., further squeezing the city’s recovery. He also pointed to signs of deeper trouble, using WWE’s host hotel as an example.
“I saw the Fontainebleau Hotel—the one that was the WWE host hotel, they had all those events—I mean, did you see the story about that? They had to lay off a bunch of employees… Yeah, they’re hurting bad. And they’re not the only ones.”
With venues like Allegiant Stadium and local officials eager to land top-tier events, it’s no surprise Vegas wants to make WrestleMania a recurring spectacle. WWE benefits from the infrastructure, tourism, and support, and Vegas sees Mania as a shot in the arm to its struggling economy.
In the end, this might be a win-win: WWE gets a flashy, fan-friendly home base, and Vegas gets a major event to keep the money flowing—even if international fans are slow to return.
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