It’s been a while since WWE shut down their Attitude Era “The World” restaurant (originally known as “WWF New York”) in Times Square, but from time to rumors pop up about the sports entertainment giant opening another brick-and-mortar establishment.
Usually, those are focused on a physical home for the company’s Hall of Fame, which at this point only exists on their website and in a few pieces of statuary which reside at the company’s Orlando Performance Center and travel to Axxess events.
But a new story from Orlando Weekly, based on promotional materials from design company FORREC, could be a sign WWE is ready to take steps to change that.
A multi-page spread in a FORREC brochure (available at this link) entitled "WWE Branded Attractions" touts the work the firm’s done in “creating authentic experiences” for fans with a focus on “scalability so that their branded attractions could be accommodated in a variety of venues”.
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They specifically mention re-branding existing rides with wrestling names like “Moonsault, Suplex City, Rock Bottom and Triple H Sledgehammer” as well as creating attractions around certain performers like a House of Horrors with Undertaker and Boogeyman, or an Andre the Giant fun-house.
Especially given FORREC’s talk of “scalability”, these could be things WWE is considering adding to the exhibits they put up around Big Four pay-per-view (PPV) events. The piece in Orlando Weekly - which obviously serves a city built around the tourism and theme park business - speculates about them having a permanent home in the Central Florida market, but even they admit a dedicated WWE theme park is unlikely.
They’re holding out hope for a Hall of Fame which might feature some of Forrec’s designs, though:
While a full-scale outdoor WWE theme park seems about as likely as Disney World starting a Holy Land Experience-style free day, many of the concepts featured do seem likely in a Hall of Fame-style attraction.
This all seems very early days, but it’s fun to think about.
Would you make the pilgrimage to Orlando for a WWE theme park and/or Hall of Fame?