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production
 
As the second WrestleMania to be held entirely outdoors, WWE chairman Vince McMahon early on announced that the show will go on, regardless of the weather risks.[57] In the March 2008 issue of WWE Magazine, WWE set designer Jason Robinson revealed that a steel rig with a tarpaulin roof would be built above the ring itself to prevent rain.[58][59] In that same issue, an initial design of the ring setup was revealed showing a larger rig surrounding the tarpaulin rig, with lighting and two giant screens attached.[58] The larger rig was dropped from the final design with the lighting and video screens now featuring on the tarpaulin rig as well as the sound system.[60] During an interview, WWE production manager Brian Petree mentioned that video reinforcement should prevent anyone from being obstructed by the steel structure. Up to seven generators were used to power up the show.[59]

The set design for the entrance stage was at the north end of the stadium and consisted of another steel structure with various video screens hanging from it.[59][60] The steel beams for the structure were custom built in Belgium and shipped over to Orlando.[59] According to WWE Magazine, the amount of pyrotechnics used would be ten times that of the amount used on Raw.[58] Without the restriction of a roof, the pyrotechnics for the show shot as high as 2,000 ft as compared to WrestleMania 23's height of 150 ft.[61] The fireworks were set off from boats on one of the lakes nearby the stadium. WWE has been said to have spent an estimated $300,000 on the fireworks alone.[62] After the show, WWE was criticized for a malfunction in the pyrotechnics during The Undertaker's victory celebration. During the celebration, a hot cable for pyrotechnics was sent flying into audience members in the upper seating bowl of the stadium, leaving 45 injured with some hospitalized. The accident was apparently due to a cable which fireworks were travelling across snapping, thus resulting in the fireworks exploding into the top rows of the upper bowl of the stadium.[63][64] WWE's corporate website released a statement afterwards stating that they will investigate the incident.[65]


An attendance record setting 74,635 fans at the Citrus Bowl for WrestleMania XXIVWith the Citrus Bowl's locker rooms on the south side and the entrance set on the north side, a tented 40,000 ft² mini-city outside the north end served as the show's backstage area and included air conditioning, trailers, VIP areas, showers and restrooms.[59] As a consequence, the road next to the north end zone, W. Church Street, was closed down until a day after the event.[66] Numerous other roads were also closed to allow trucks and fork lifts to move in mega equipment for the event.[67] The ring itself was built on the 50-yard line of the Citrus Bowl to give the best view for fans.[58] Heavy-duty plastic flooring had been put over the field, to protect the turf, provide seating and serve as the steel structures' foundation.[59]

Development on the set design began in the middle of 2007.[68] The building of the actual set began in the middle of March. 100 people worked 16 hours a day to construct the set for the event. The construction finished on March 29.[59][67]

WrestleMania XXIV was the first WrestleMania event to be filmed in high-definition. It will also be the first WWE show and sports related title to be released on the Blu-ray Disc format by WWE Home Video.[69][70]

WrestleMania also led to an increase in sales for musical artists related to the event, including the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' album Stadium Arcadium, John Legend's album Live from Philadelphia, Rev Theory's single "Light It Up", and Fuel's single "Leave the Memories Alone" (which was used in tribute to Ric Flair).[71]

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