TLG
06-24-2015, 08:41 PM
LAS VEGAS -- As expected, the National Hockey League's Board of Governors has authorized NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to formally open the expansion process and the league will now examine bids from interested markets, including Las Vegas.
NHL owners were meeting in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning in advance of the annual NHL awards ceremony when the matter was discussed, a source told ESPN.com. Bettman was to meet with reporters following the completion of the meeting to discuss league business, including how the expansion process will unfold.
Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have been cautious in discussing potential expansion, insisting that even though opening up the process was a distinct possibility entertaining expansion bids does not guarantee the NHL will expand from its current 30-team roster.
But the league did give prospective Las Vegas owner Bill Foley permission late in 2014 to begin a trial season-ticket drive in Las Vegas to gauge the level of interest for an NHL team in the desert city.
Foley has topped the 13,300 mark in deposits, according to multiple sources.
Foley was not in attendance at Wednesday's Board of Governors meeting and in fact was not even in Las Vegas this week. But it's believed the success of the season-ticket drive gives the city an excellent chance of hosting the 31st NHL team.
AEG and MGM Resorts International are building a new arena on the edge of The Strip in Las Vegas and it is being built to accommodate either an NHL or NBA team or both. The Las Vegas Arena is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016 but it's believed the earliest a Las Vegas team would join the NHL is the 2017-18 season.
NHL owners were meeting in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning in advance of the annual NHL awards ceremony when the matter was discussed, a source told ESPN.com. Bettman was to meet with reporters following the completion of the meeting to discuss league business, including how the expansion process will unfold.
Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have been cautious in discussing potential expansion, insisting that even though opening up the process was a distinct possibility entertaining expansion bids does not guarantee the NHL will expand from its current 30-team roster.
But the league did give prospective Las Vegas owner Bill Foley permission late in 2014 to begin a trial season-ticket drive in Las Vegas to gauge the level of interest for an NHL team in the desert city.
Foley has topped the 13,300 mark in deposits, according to multiple sources.
Foley was not in attendance at Wednesday's Board of Governors meeting and in fact was not even in Las Vegas this week. But it's believed the success of the season-ticket drive gives the city an excellent chance of hosting the 31st NHL team.
AEG and MGM Resorts International are building a new arena on the edge of The Strip in Las Vegas and it is being built to accommodate either an NHL or NBA team or both. The Las Vegas Arena is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016 but it's believed the earliest a Las Vegas team would join the NHL is the 2017-18 season.