Why Wrexham celebrate promotion in Las Vegas as Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds in ‘dispute’ over £500k trip
Wrexham will celebrate another promotion with a party in Las Vegas for the third year running - if Rob McElhenney has his way.
The Welsh side secured second spot in League One to earn them a place in the Championship next season.
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A 3-0 victory over Charlton at the Racecourse Ground ensured the Red Dragons had claimed a historic third successive promotion.
Wrexham's Hollywood co-owner McElhenney was quizzed last year on what he planned to do with his squad this season if they managed to earn a dramatic three-peat, and he had some ideas.
Speaking to Hulu on a red carpet last year, he replied: "Vegas again.
"I just got back from Vegas, where we did it for a second time, and if we get promoted again, we promised that they would be sent to Vegas.
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"Much to the chagrin of my co-chairman.
"If you see Ryan [Reynolds], he's going to say no, but I'm going to say yes."
Wrexham's tradition of celebrating in Las Vegas started in 2023, after the club won the National League title and returned to the EFL.
Phil Parkinson's side were already due to be in the United States for a series of friendlies that summer when their famous owners rewarded them with an all expenses-paid trip to the infamous 'Sin City'.
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Paul Mullin told in May 2023: "It became a thing where if we won the league, we’d get a holiday. So we’re off to Vegas.
"Ryan and Rob told us to leave our cards at home, they're sorting the lot. They sent us a full itinerary just now."
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During the first trip, Wrexham's National League-winning team were treated to a pool party hosted by actor McElhenny and his wife Kaitlin Olson, and attended a number of parties and events.
“The flight wasn’t direct, which was the only hitch, apart from that we can’t complain,” former club captain Ben Tozer told talkSPORT.
“We got there Thursday dinner time, they took us to Hakkasan for dinner, which was amazing, and then we went to Hakkasan Nightclub and they treated us to the best tables, and it was just insane really. Almost everything was insane.
“The next day, they took us to Wet Republic Pool Party, which was again the best tables and the best layout for us, and everything was free, then in the evening it was Omnia Nightclub, and four of us got to go up on stage with Steve Aoki.
“The next day was Marquee Pool Party, followed by dinner out on the balcony at the Bellagio, then we were at XS Nightclub where The Chainsmokers were playing, again everything was the best treatment, it was outrageous.
“Teo Pool Party followed by Teo Nightclub, then we had to get up and go in the morning.”
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Retired former Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster also revealed his estimation of how much the Hollywood duo spent on the trip.
Speaking on , the goalkeeper said: "I went on the Vegas trip... it was hard work, mate, honestly.
"The way that Rob McElhenney and Ryan (Reynolds) put it on for us, laid it on for us, was just like nothing I've ever seen.
"We got there and it was just straight to the shower, get changed, go to Hakkasan for dinner and then we're going to Hakkasan nightclub straight afterwards. All expenses paid.
"Got to be £500,000... had to be at least half a million. Genuinely, it had to be because they just looked after everything."
League Two promotion last year brought back third-tier football to the Racecourse in two decades - and meant a return to Vegas.
Wrexham players attend pool party in Las Vegas
McElhenney's wife, Kaitlin, has shown how much she was on board with the annual trips to the Entertainment Capital of the World.
In a photo dump of Vegas in May 2024, the actress wrote: "Another promotion next year, please, this Vegas tradition is fun."
Wrexham have duly delivered again this season, but one man who has been a key figure behind their success won't be in Vegas.
The club's executive director, Humphrey Ker, told talkSPORT's Hawksbee & Baker: "I've not been on any of the Vegas trips.
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"I usually have something or other that's kept me here. But also, I see a lot of pictures of everybody with their tops off.
"And Rob can sort of hang with that because he's quite fit as an actor. I really can't...I try and leave them to it and let them enjoy it."
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