Philadelphia a finalist to host WrestleMania

Cities have placed their bids to World Wrestling Entertainment to host the company's biggest event: WrestleMania.

As of right now, it is down to two cities, and Philadelphia is one of them.

Philadelphia has a wrestling heritage that dates back decades. During the 1980s, WWE, then WWF, would host events at the Spectrum with Hulk Hogan on top of the card.

Meanwhile, the National Wrestling Alliance would host an event at the Civic Center with "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair headlining — on the same day.

During the 1990s, Philadelphia became home to the extreme revolution better known as Extreme Championship Wrestling.

So it comes as no surprise that Philadelphia is one of two cities being considered to host WrestleMania 31 next year, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The city's only opposition is Santa Clara, Calif., home to the soon-to-be-built Levi's Stadium.

Levi's Stadium will open next football season and will play host to the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.

According to the report, Santa Clara mayor Jamie Matthews and 49ers executives are on their way to WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn. to make a final pitch to the company.

The WWE will make an official announcement early next year. The event's 30th anniversary will take place next April and will emanate from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

It is believed that whatever city does not get the wrestling extravaganza in 2015 will get it in 2016.

Philadelphia would be a prime candidate for 2015 except for one thing: Santa Clara will host the 50th Super Bowl in 2016 and WWE would not want to host WrestleMania in the same stadium as the Super Bowl less than three months later.

That seems to be the only hurdle in the way of Philadelphia hosting the event in 2015.

Philadelphia has been considered a top contender for one of the next two WrestleMania's mainly due to the success of this year's event in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Hosting an outdoor event in the northeastern United States in early April was a new venture for WWE, but the event was a success production wise and financially.

The event grossed $72 million in pay-per-view buys and $12.3 million in ticket sales, which was a record for MetLife Stadium.

The event generated $103 million in economic impact for the Miami metropolitan area in 2012, when the event was held at Sun Life Stadium.