WrestleMania, the longest-running and most popular of all major professional wrestling events, produced by World Wrestling Entertainment, holds it's annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event each year in late March or early April. The 24th installment of this famed event will be held in Orlando at the Florida Citrus Bowl on March 30, 2008. This will be the first time in history that the WrestleMania event will be held in the state of Florida.


Dubbed as "The Biggest WrestleMania Under the Sun", WrestleMania XXIV sold over 41,000 tickets in the first 30 minutes of going on sale, November 3, 2007. The event is expected to bring over 70,000 visitors and $40 million to the Orlando area - a good move on Mayor Buddy Dyer's part! Choosing an established tourist destination such as Orlando for the 2008 location is bound to encourage wrestling fans from all 50 states and 23 countries to take in the sights, sounds and attractions that we have to offer.

As many of you know, the Citrus Bowl is an outdoor football stadium - this is only the second time that the WWE has held their popular WrestleMania event at an outdoor venue, the only other being WrestleMania IX. In Orlando we are well aware of how quickly inclement weather can put a 'damper' on our outdoor festivities, but never fear, WWE chairman Vince McMahon announced that he "show will go on, regardless of the weather." Perhaps a torrential downpour in the midst of the show will only add to the excitement.

To imagine this scenario, preview the Hulk Still Rules DVD, where the Hulk Hogan vs. Big John Studd match had an accompaniment of rain, but picture the stands where the spectators are cloaked in yellow rain ponchos with Mickey Mouse on the front.

Directions to the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Get the latest updates from About.com's Pro Wrestling Guide, Eric Cohen at World WrestleMania Central.