Jazzmyn
4-10-03, 02:46 AM
I'm excited about this news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bouncy: :bouncy: :D
WWE to tour Oregon after decade hiatus
by Phil Speer
April 9, 2003
World Wrestling Entertainment will return to Oregon on Saturday, May 31, WWE's first performance in the state in 10 years -- the first of many, WWE officials hope.
The May 31 event will take place at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, home of the NBA's Trail Blazers. It'll be a RAW-brand extravaganza, as Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Booker T, Chris Jericho, Kane, Trish Stratus and Rob Van Dam are all scheduled to appear. Tickets are currently scheduled to go on sale Saturday, May 3.
"Tremendous," said Ed Cohen, WWE senior vice president of live events. "Portland demonstrated itself to be a strong market for World Wrestling Entertainment events. The Rose Garden is a top facility. Portland is a very routable city, and I am confident that the fans will support us when we return on May 31."
Legislation is currently pending in the Oregon State Legislature that would reclassify WWE as "wrestling entertainment," clearing up red tape that has kept WWE out of the state for a decade. But WWE has received special permission from the Oregon State Athletic Commission to run the May 31 show under the proposed legislation.
So for now, May 31 is a one-night-only event. But if the legislation, currently called House Bill 3581, passes, it opens the door for WWE to tour Oregon regularly. It's good news for WWE fans in Oregon, of course, but also for fans throughout the Pacific Northwest and even Northern California.
"You've got cities like Seattle or Tacoma and Vancouver," Cohen said. "You can't just go out there for a one-shot deal. By having Portland, and for that matter Eugene, Ore., it will give us more opportunity to tour that part of the country."
If the bill passes, WWE has indicated it will perform in Oregon a dozen times over the course of four years, including televised events and the first pay-per-view to emanate from the state.
Current regulations in Oregon treat professional wrestling as a competitive sport, not as an entertainment show. WWE faces additional costs of tens of thousands of dollars to perform in Oregon, costs that it does not incur in any other state. This is why WWE has not performed in Oregon since a Feb. 12, 1993, event at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, which featured Michaels, Bob Backlund, Randy Savage, Yokozuna and Tatanka.
On Wednesday, Rich Hering, WWE's vice president of government relations, testified before the Oregon House Committee on General Government along with other supporters of the bill, including Representative Tootie Smith, the House sponsor of the bill, and Capt. Robert Miller of the Oregon State Police, who supervises the Oregon State Athletic Commission. After two hours of testimony, the bill was approved unanimously, 7-0, by the committee. It is scheduled to be voted on by the entire House today, and then begin the committee process in the Senate next week.
WWE officials believe the passing of the bill would be a win-win situation for WWE, its fans and the state of Oregon, as it would generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for the state in admission taxes, food and beverage sales at the arenas and surrounding restaurants, transportation, lodging and meals for performers and crew, media advertising, local jobs and more.
WWE to tour Oregon after decade hiatus
by Phil Speer
April 9, 2003
World Wrestling Entertainment will return to Oregon on Saturday, May 31, WWE's first performance in the state in 10 years -- the first of many, WWE officials hope.
The May 31 event will take place at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, home of the NBA's Trail Blazers. It'll be a RAW-brand extravaganza, as Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Booker T, Chris Jericho, Kane, Trish Stratus and Rob Van Dam are all scheduled to appear. Tickets are currently scheduled to go on sale Saturday, May 3.
"Tremendous," said Ed Cohen, WWE senior vice president of live events. "Portland demonstrated itself to be a strong market for World Wrestling Entertainment events. The Rose Garden is a top facility. Portland is a very routable city, and I am confident that the fans will support us when we return on May 31."
Legislation is currently pending in the Oregon State Legislature that would reclassify WWE as "wrestling entertainment," clearing up red tape that has kept WWE out of the state for a decade. But WWE has received special permission from the Oregon State Athletic Commission to run the May 31 show under the proposed legislation.
So for now, May 31 is a one-night-only event. But if the legislation, currently called House Bill 3581, passes, it opens the door for WWE to tour Oregon regularly. It's good news for WWE fans in Oregon, of course, but also for fans throughout the Pacific Northwest and even Northern California.
"You've got cities like Seattle or Tacoma and Vancouver," Cohen said. "You can't just go out there for a one-shot deal. By having Portland, and for that matter Eugene, Ore., it will give us more opportunity to tour that part of the country."
If the bill passes, WWE has indicated it will perform in Oregon a dozen times over the course of four years, including televised events and the first pay-per-view to emanate from the state.
Current regulations in Oregon treat professional wrestling as a competitive sport, not as an entertainment show. WWE faces additional costs of tens of thousands of dollars to perform in Oregon, costs that it does not incur in any other state. This is why WWE has not performed in Oregon since a Feb. 12, 1993, event at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, which featured Michaels, Bob Backlund, Randy Savage, Yokozuna and Tatanka.
On Wednesday, Rich Hering, WWE's vice president of government relations, testified before the Oregon House Committee on General Government along with other supporters of the bill, including Representative Tootie Smith, the House sponsor of the bill, and Capt. Robert Miller of the Oregon State Police, who supervises the Oregon State Athletic Commission. After two hours of testimony, the bill was approved unanimously, 7-0, by the committee. It is scheduled to be voted on by the entire House today, and then begin the committee process in the Senate next week.
WWE officials believe the passing of the bill would be a win-win situation for WWE, its fans and the state of Oregon, as it would generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for the state in admission taxes, food and beverage sales at the arenas and surrounding restaurants, transportation, lodging and meals for performers and crew, media advertising, local jobs and more.