From ESPN:
The NHL has settled on Las Vegas as its choice for expansion, provided organizers can come up with a $500 million fee, sources told ESPN's Scott Burnside.
The league's board of governors is scheduled to hold a formal vote during its meeting on June 22. Quebec City was also considered for expansion.
A person who had been briefed on the decision told The Associated Press, which previously reported the decision, that Las Vegas was a "done deal" after the recommendation of the NHL's executive committee.
The 2017-18 season is the earliest the league would expand.
The franchise would be the NHL's 31st team and the first major professional sports franchise in Las Vegas, the rapidly growing gambling center of the American West.
The NHL hasn't expanded since 2000, when Minnesota and Columbus paid $80 million each to join the league. Prospective Vegas owner Bill Foley is a wealthy businessman who isn't likely to blink at the elevated price tag previously proposed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as an expansion fee.
The Las Vegas bid says it has secured more than 13,200 season-ticket deposits for the new team, which will play in T-Mobile Arena, the sparkling new multipurpose building on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. The arena, which seats 17,500 for hockey, was built entirely with private money by MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owners of the Los Angeles Kings. http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/16203078/nhl-settles-las-vegas-quebec-city-expansion
Bill Foley did things right. He is going into a privately built and owned (no government spending) arena, built up a ticket base and was patient.
Now, we will see if Las Vegas is a major league city or not. And I am sure the NFL is going to watch this very closely as they consider whether the Oakland Raiders go to vegas or not, though I really hope not- it's a bad fit.
At the Prairie Café...
6 hours ago
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