SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake City is slated to host the Nitro World Games next July.
It’s a first ever action-packed show that includes motocross, BMX, skateboarding and other extreme sports.
On Monday, Gov. Gary Herbert met with the founder of Nitro and NBC sports to make the announcement.
It’s a three-hour extreme sporting event that will be televised live across the world from Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Created by motorsports icon Travis Pastrana and Nitro Circus, the Nitro World Games features the best athletes from across the globe performing stunts in freestyle motocross, BMX, skateboarding and more.
“This event could easily happen in four days in multiple venues, but instead, it’s going to happen in three hours in one amazing venue,” said Michael Porra, CEO of Nitro Circus.
Monday, Herbert, Pastrana, NBC Sports and the CEO of Nitro made the announcement at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
“It’s an action sports brand that promised to be the top action sport event, I think, in the world,” Herbert said.
Herbert said it will be a great boost to Utah’s economy. The event will be televised live across the U.S. during primetime hours and across the globe. The Utah Sports Commission estimates it will bring in $8 to $10 million of state revenue.
“I appreciate the fact that 30 percent of those who’ll attend these Nitro World Games are going to from outside the state of Utah,” Herbert said. So they’re going to come here and appreciate the community of Utah.”
Pastrana used to train in Utah when he was younger. He said he’s excited to bring the event to the state where his career as a professional motocross rider started.
“Action sports has been my life,” Pastrana said. “My whole goal and everything that I’ve done has been to build up this family.”
The Nitro Circus games will feature a massive production – with more than 15 different ramps, a 50-foot giganta ramp, pyrotechnics, and large replay screens for the audience.
“We have blow-up resi pads, blow-up landing pads, which has never happened before, so they’re actually full of air and nobody ever thought that could possibly happen,” Porra said.
The governor says he’s excited to partner with such a big name in the state and to further put Utah on the map as an action sports destination.
“I think this is going to be a new chapter in extreme sports headquartered here in good old Salt Lake City, Utah,” Herbert said.
The show will take place at Rice-Eccles Stadium on July 16, 2016. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday. For more information, nitrocircus.com.
