Wrestlemania XXX generates $142M for New Orleans per study

The WWE and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced on Wednesday that Wrestlemania XXX generated an economic impact for the region of $142.2 million for the New Orleans region.  The $142.2 million is a record for Wrestlemanias and is the third straight year the destination event has generated more than $100 million for the host city.

Via WWE press release:

Over the past seven years, WrestleMania has generated more than half a billion dollars in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event. WrestleMania 30 also generated approximately $24.3 million in federal, state and local taxes.

The WWE commissioned the study by Enigma Research Corporation to determine the economic impact.

More info from the press release:

-$142.2 million in direct, indirect and induced impact derived from spending by visitors to New Orleans for WrestleMania 30.
– 79% of fans that attended WrestleMania were from outside the greater New Orleans region and stayed an average of 3.7 nights.
– $22.5 million was spent on hotels and accommodations within the New Orleans region.
– The economic impact derived from WrestleMania Week was equal to the creation of 1,662 full-time jobs for the area.
– $10.7 million was spent by visitors to New Orleans at area restaurants.

Last year, it was reported that Wrestlemania 29 in New York/NewJersey drew $101.2 million in economic impact and $102.7 million for Wrestlemania 28 in Miami. In 2011, Wrestlemania 27 in Atlanta gave the region a $62 million economic boost.

Payout Take:  Even if we are to look at this cynically and conclude that the economic impact is inflated because the study was commissioned by the WWE and the release does not define “indirect and induced impact” the $142 million would peak the interest of future cities to solicit the WWE to hold the event.  Wrestlemania has become a destination event where WWE fans from all over the world come to the city that hosts the event.  So, to see the city’s tourism industry see a dramatic spike in revenue would not be unheard of.  For municipalities that are hurting economically, Wrestlemania would be a economic boost for the region.