Exclusive: WWE to open Hall of Fame in Orlando before Wrestlemania 33
Sources within Universal Studios have told Attractions Management that its park in Orlando, Florida, is to open a WWE-museum-cum-restaurant, which will be open by the time the world’s largest wrestling brand rolls into town for Wrestlemania 33 in 2017.
Replacing NBA City at Universal CityWalk adjacent to the theme park, the WWE attraction would incorporate some form of a physical Hall of Fame – displaying famous wrestling memorabilia of the promotion’s legendary performers.
Similar in style to The World – WWE’s former restaurant which occupied a prime spot in Times Square until its closure in 2003 – the restaurant element would incorporate WWE merchandise with a retail area, and multiple screens would show wrestling action while visitors eat their WWE-themed meals.
Orlando is becoming somewhat of a home-away-from home for the Connecticut-based WWE, which also has its Performance Center – the training facility where the professional wrestling organisation hones its future stars – and Full Sail University, where it regularly films its NXT show.
WWE officially announced today (8 March) that Orlando will be the home of Wrestlemania, which drew more than 74,000 people when the event happened there in 2008.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that mayor Buddy Dyer, along with governor Rick Scott, Orange County mayor Teresa Jacobs and WWE chair and CEO Vince McMahon will be on hand at the Citrus Bowl later today to make the formal announcement of Wrestlemania 33's location.
To fall under the Wrestlemania timeframe, the new WWE attraction at Universal Studios will be open by March 2017, with the event taking place on 2 April 2017.
Update: Universal has since announced a chocolate factory for CityWalk which looks to be replacing NBA City. According to Attraction Management's source, the Hall of Fame is still very much a reality with a different location chosen and official announcement to be made "in the next month" once approval has been granted. Check back here for further updates.
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