FORT WORTH, Texas — In less than a month, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals is happening at Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena for the first time ever.
The PBR organization has moved its World Finals event from Las Vegas to Cowtown.
PBR CEO Sean Gleason told WFAA his organization signed a multi-year deal with Fort Worth and they look forward to making it the event’s permanent home.
“We’re cowboys and we belong in a cowboy town,” Gleason said. “Fort Worth is Cowtown Texas and cowboy country. Fort Worth is the epicenter of that, and there’s a cultural cowboy revolution going on right now. Making that our home is really exciting for all of us.”
For nearly three decades, the event was held in Las Vegas. In 2020, it was held at AT&T stadium after COVID restrictions in Las Vegas prevented the event from happening.
Beginning May 13-22, the event, called the “Biggest Party in Texas,” will take place at Dickies Arena over the course of two weekends.
Visit Fort Worth’s Chief Operating Officer Mitch Whitten called it a big win for Fort Worth and credited Dickies Arena for bringing major sporting events to the city.
“These are exciting times,” Whitten said. “For the first time ever, rounds one and two of March Madness were here, we had NCAA Women’s Gymnastics, and now PBR World Finals and it just keeps going.”
According to Whitten, PBR had a $28 million impact in Las Vegas. He estimates more than 100,000 people will attend the event over two weekends.
With less than a month before the event, businesses near Dickies Arena are gearing up for an economic boost.
Jaime Ingram, the general manager at Rodeo Goat, said her restaurant draws large crowds during an event like PBR.
“We’re ready,” Ingram said. “You gotta be excited when it’s busy.”
Whitten quoted Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and said “not everything that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
Whitten said bringing the PBR World Finals to Cowtown wasn’t a hard sell.
“For both PBR and Fort Worth, the question was how fast can we get here?” Whitten said. “It feels like the time was right for PBR to come to Fort Worth.”
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