The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that local officials are preparing a proposal to WWE that would bring a physical WWE Hall of Fame location for tourists to the city, a major tourist destination that hosted Wrestlemania 24. That event came to Orlando after the city vocally lobbied for the event, the first city to do so, which has inspired other cities to follow since then. From the article:
It's not clear where the hall would be built or where the money to do it would come from, and World Wrestling Entertainment isn't talking. But WWE has solicited proposals for the project from an unknown number of cities, and that solicitation provides a few clues.
WWE executives aren't necessarily looking for a location that has a significant connection to wrestling. Putting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., limited the number of visitors because it's not near a big city or transportation hub, they pointed out. WWE wants a city that already draws a lot of domestic and international tourists.
The idea of a physical WWE Hall of Fame has been discussed on and off for the last several years. It would presumably be a larger version of the exhibits displayed at WWE's Fan Axxess event on Wrestlemania weekend, where various memorabilia (like ring-worn gear) from Hall of Famers and modern talent is on display.
John Saboor, the former head of the Central Florida Sports Commission who brought Wrestlemania 24 to Orlando, is now WWE's senior vice president of special events, though his office is still in the city. His successor, Sam Stark, is "leading the effort" to add the Hall of Fame to the city's list of tourist attractions.
So, what does WWE have to say about this? From their solicitation letter:
WWE is seeking public and/or private partners (may include local and state governmental entities, private-sector funding sources, etc.) to develop, fund and maintain what will be viewed as one of the premier halls of fame in the world of sports and entertainment.
Officially to the Sentinel, their spokesperson said:
WWE is in the very preliminary stages of evaluating this opportunity, and we have nothing further to report at this time.
Proposals are due at the end of the month.