Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis still waiting to hear about hosting WrestleMania in 2025
While WWE’s WrestleMania XL was a smashing success last weekend in Philadelphia, officials in Minneapolis and a decorated Minnesota Olympian were “anxiously awaiting” word about whether the city has pinned down next year’s crown jewel of ring theatrics.
The nonprofit Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE), the lead organization that lobbies to bring major attractions to the Twin Cities, told the Star Tribune last month that it had expected an announcement from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) about its pitch to host the popular extravaganza at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Typically, the WWE announces the next year’s host as the current event nears its end. However, WrestleMania XL came and went last weekend at the Philadelphia Eagles’ home stadium without a peep.
Wendy Blackshaw, MNSE’s president and chief executive officer, said in March that Minneapolis was one of several cities that the WWE had invited to participate in a “very competitive” battle for the next big event. Minneapolis has never played host to a WrestleMania, despite the state’s history as a hotbed of pro wrestling.
This week, Blackshaw said she is still “anxiously awaiting. … We really hope to hear something soon.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported this week that Las Vegas could be a front-runner for 2025, given that Vegas-based Endeavor Sports and Entertainment took majority ownership of WWE about a year ago.
Gable Steveson, the former University of Minnesota heavyweight national champion and Olympic gold medalist, is among WWE’s roster of wrestlers and is waiting like everyone else for a WrestleMania XLI announcement.
“I have no clue” whether Minneapolis will get the nod, Steveson told the Star Tribune this week. But if the city does does land the grand grappling prize, he said that “it could be the best they’ve ever had and be a big show with the right people” in the ring.
Blackshaw said the economic impact WrestleMania has on a host community comes close to that of the Super Bowl. Officials estimate its staging in Dallas in 2022 and Los Angeles last year created more than $200 million in economic churn.
Viewership was up 41% across both nights vs. last year’s record-setting audience, and merchandise sales were up more than 20% compared with the previous record set at the 2023 WrestleMania, the industry publication reported.
This year’s WrestleMania also became the most viewed of all-time on social media, with more than 660 million views.
People pack the overflow room outside the Minneapolis City Council chambers on Thursday in opposition to a controversial police drone proposal that would have contracted with the company Skydio, which also has sold drones to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Israeli military.
Cait Kelley | MPR News
Minneapolis, MN
Federal lawsuit raises questions about culture at prior job of Minneapolis mayor’s nominee for fire chief
A federal lawsuit raises questions about the culture at a prior job of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s nominee for fire chief.
In those court documents, there are allegations of harassment and discrimination in an East Coast fire department during Reginald Freeman’s time there as chief.
The city is not commenting on this lawsuit, saying it was filed several years ago, doesn’t mention Freeman and concerns allegations involving a different city and state.
Mayor Frey had high praise for Freeman as he announced him as his choice for the chief’s position in May.
Frey nominates Reginald Freeman to be next Minneapolis fire chief
“The kind of leadership that he brings to the table is second to none,” the mayor declared at the time.
But a 2022 lawsuit raises questions about Freeman’s time as fire chief in Hartford, Connecticut.
“It should always be an open process,” says Paul Ostrow, a former Minneapolis City Council president. “It should always be one where the legislative body has the information they need to properly vet the executive’s appointment.”
Two female firefighters filed that federal lawsuit against the City of Hartford, saying they were “harassed and discriminated against by their employer because of their sex and/or race.”
The document also says, “nearly every female who rose to the ranks of lieutenant or higher either filed an internal complaint of harassment and discrimination — or tragically, surrendered their promotion in order to avoid the hostility of the executive-level fire chiefs.”
It doesn’t mention Freeman specifically or accuse him of any wrongdoing.
But the lawsuit includes allegations of mistreatment while he was leading the department between 2016 and 2021.
We asked Ostrow: “Is it reasonable to say that the chief, the fire chief, would have known about this?”
“I think it’s reasonable to conclude that as chief, he would know about these things,” he says. “Certainly, that he should have known about these things.”
Ostrow calls the allegations “troubling.”
The nomination is now set for a public hearing next week.
We wondered if all of this should be part of the discussion.
“It should be,” Ostrow says. “The most important question I would ask, number one: ‘Was this disclosed to the mayor or the search team?’”
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke with the mayor’s office late Wednesday night.
They told us again they’re not commenting on the lawsuit.
We’re still working to get a comment from Freeman himself.
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