Mouse Traps Event As Las Vegas Loses Nationals To Disney

When it comes to wrestling for the entertainment dollar, there is no bigger battle than Walt Disney vs. Las Vegas.

When the tourist-hungry entities squared off for the U.S. National Wrestling Championships, an event held in Las Vegas nine of the past 10 years, Disney scored a quick pin to wrest it away.

The Nationals, considered one of the world’s top three wrestling events along with the Olympics and the international championships, take place this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Although it hasn’t been announced, this year could be the last.

The Nationals, in the final year of a two-year contract with the city, will leave Las Vegas for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World the next two years.

“Orlando and Las Vegas have been at odds for how many years? (Orlando is) going to do what it can do to get back to No. 1,” said Las Vegas organizing committee and tournament director Larry Barnson.

“Disney World is building a new sports arena in Orlando and they’re trying to get as many different types of sports to come in there to make it well known to people immediately. They wanted them to take the tournament for a two-year period to see if it will work.”

When asked to comment on the move, wrestling’s governing body balked.

“Our contract for the Las Vegas organizing group runs through 1996, but I really can’t talk beyond that right now,” said USA Wrestling director of communications Gary Abbott. “We have not made any public announcement and we have not made an announcement on when we will have an announcement.”

After receiving other media inquiries, Abbott called back to say USA Wrestling would make an official announcement Friday.

According to Barnson, USA Wrestling already has proposed a deal to bring the Nationals back to Las Vegas in 1999 and 2000.

“(But) we want a four-year deal,” he said. “It’s real difficult to have this tournament go away and come back again. We don’t just work on this thing for two weeks before the tournament and get everything done.”

Barnson, also a high school athletic administrator, claims his organizing committee needs at least four years to cultivate capital resources.

“We’ve come to understand that in this city you do things way in advance or you’re sunk,” he said. You have to plan way ahead.”

Which could be a problem for Orlando.

In Las Vegas, the Nationals are held in conjunction with the Western Junior Regional tournament, the largest of its kind in the country, to boost attendance. But in Orlando, the Nationals will stand alone in an environment geared toward children.

“The numbers could drop so bad there it’s unbelievable,” Barnson said, pointing to the years the tournament was held in cities such as Stillwater, Okla., and Toledo, Ohio.

“Orlando and Disney is an inviting situation and looks nice, but it still comes down to the bottom line: the dollar,” he said.

“This is an adult tournament. Would you rather see Mickey Mouse or come to Las Vegas?”