WWE received film tax credits and a site fee for WrestleMania 41.
According to an application approved earlier this month by the Governor’s Office for Economic Development and the Nevada Film Office (via Nevada Current), WWE is approved to receive $4.2 million in transferable film tax credits for WrestleMania 41 and related events.
The article states, "The $4.2 million in transferable film tax credits represents roughly 12% of the $33.7 million total production budget WWE estimated for two nights of WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and three nights of wrestling events at nearby T-Mobile Arena. But $4.2 million is more than half of what the company estimated it would spend on local labor and at local businesses."
WWE previously received a $5 million sponsorship from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority as a site fee, which was approved in May 2024.
Here is how things broke down:
According to the WrestleMania application, which is dated early March, the company estimated a total budget of $33.7 million, including:
- $2.4 million for Nevada stagehands,
- $2.7 million for non-resident “below-the-line” labor,
- $17 million for non-resident “above the line” talent,
- $5.3 million in Nevada expenditures,
- $8.6 million in non-Nevada expenditures, and
- $260,000 for Nevada security workers.
WWE estimated their five taped events would hire 450 Nevadans for 22,100 hours. That works out to an hourly wage rate of $121.71.
As for non-Nevadan labor, they estimated 300 “above the line” people — those are the executives, directors, and top-billed performers like John Cena and Cody Rhodes — earning $17 million and 450 “below the line” people working 10,800 hours for $2.7 million.
The $5.3 million in non-labor in-state spending is further broken down:
- $3 million on miscellaneous expenses,
- $855,000 in freelancer hotel expenses,
- $369,000 in hotels for talent,
- $323,921 in equipment rental,
- $106,000 for catering, and
- $40,137 for props, stunts & gags.
WWE requested that talent expenses and building rents budget items be considered confidential and redacted from their otherwise public application. That is a common request granted by GOED. Cumulative spending amounts listed on the spreadsheet suggest around $62,000 was spent on building rent and related expenses.
Both nights of WWE WrestleMania 41 were held at Allegiant Stadium. TKO touted the event as "the most successful event in WWE history."
