Orange County commissioners committed more than $29 million to try and ring in major wrestling, fighting and football sporting events. In a 6-1 vote, commissioners pushed the sports incentive funding through to groups like the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and Florida Citrus Sports.
Now, $18 million in tourist development tax funds, or TDT, to lure World Wrestling Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship matches to Orlando sits with the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. TDT is collected on hotel and short-term stays in the county. The bid to TKO Group Holdings, which owns both ring-based organizations, would help bring in four events that span from 2026-2031.
The final event in that timeline is a 2031 WrestleMania return to the city. Orlando previously hosted the event in 2017, and the city saw $181.5 million generated in economic impact, according to a study conducted by the Enigma Research Corporation.
Greater Orlando Sports Commission President and CEO Jason Siegel estimated that the four events – three for WWE and one for UFC – would bring in 300,000 attendees and $225 million in economic impact for the region. He said visitors to these events may take advantage of other nearby tourist attractions.
“Organically, when folks come here for these major events, they stay longer. There’s no question about it,” Siegel said.
Wrestlemania 41, which ran through Easter weekend in Las Vegas, brought more than 124,000 fans to the event. The allure of these crowd numbers and estimated economic impact has turned the WWE bidding war into a competition with roughly two dozen other cities.
While these cities compete in their own Royal Rumble of sorts to host the events, Florida Citrus Sports is bidding on another big sports draw: the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
The team’s home arena, EverBank Stadium, will undergo renovations during the 2027 NFL season. Orlando’s hosting rights bid of up to $11 million would bring a minimum of eight home games. If the city were to host games, the kickoffs are expected to bring in 65,000 fans per game and about $160 million in total generated economic impact.
Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said he believes the Jaguars need Orlando.
“We believe we’re an NFL city, but we recognize we have to do our part too,” he said.
The county's main competitor to host the Jaguars is Gainesville and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of UF’s Florida Gators. Hogan pointed out that Gainesville is closer to Jacksonville’ fanbase and is partnered with the NFL team through UF Health.
Although the events would seem like big wins for the city, lone dissenting voter commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad was weary over hosting Jacksonville’s NFL team. She hadn’t been convinced that the games would generate enough out-of-town, overnight visitors. “If we’re not generating tourists, then we’re not replenishing our TDT, and we’re opening the door for market susceptibility.”
Martinez Semrad made a motion to vote for Jacksonville Jaguars bidding separately, but no commissioner seconded her plea. Her concern stemmed from the possibility that games would be attended primarily by local residents, not tourists.
Jacksonville’s 2027 home opponents include the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fans from both cities, should they choose to travel, would have shorter drives from their home to watch their team against the Jaguars.
For someone in Miami, a five-hour trip to EverBank Stadium would become a three-and-a-half hour trip to Camping World Stadium. The time spent on a drive home, a potential factor in choosing to stay overnight, would be cut down significantly.
NFL owners could choose a site for the team at a meeting in May.
Commissioners also approved $400,000 to offset bid fees for the 2025 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships; $40,000 to bid on hosting rights for the 2026 USA Fencing October North America Cup; and $25,000 for the 2025 Pride Cup.
Any TDT money granted at Tuesday’s meeting will only be paid out if the associated bids are successful.
