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Team in Vegas

H

Highlander

Active member
Just got back from Vegas and had a look at the Arena under construction. This place is going to be awesome, top notch. From speaking to many folks there I am almost 100% sure that Vegas will have a team. They are not spending that much money for an AHL team
 
I don't think the arena means much in terms of getting a hockey team. It's Vegas. There are lots of reasons to fill an Arena. Will 41 dates of selling 15,000 hockey tickets be a huge deal?
 
They already have 13,000 commitments to seasons tickets when their goal was 10K.
Vegas has enough other Venues to support conventions, rock concerts etc. where having a hockey stadium is not really necessary.
And Foley is rich enough to pull it off. Perhaps the Coyotes move there.
Just saying
 
Las Vegas has never really established itself as a sports town (apart from sports betting), the Rodeo Nationals ad NASCAR. As for hockey, well there were (both defunct) the Las Vegas Thunder (IHL) as well as the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL).

It would be exciting to establish a new NHL franchise there or to merely have one of the teams (as Highlander mentioned) Arizona relocate here.

Somehow, I don't see Las Vegas as a hockey town.  The one way to make it work would be to market the game there differently -- selling both the "steak and the sizzle", so to speak.

Here is an article (dated Feb./'15) that explains Vegas' history of sports affiliations (mostly minor leagues):

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl-s-big-gamble-on-las-vegas-begins-with-season-ticket-drive-010117899-nhl.html
 
The interesting thing about Vegas is that it has grown to almost 2.5 Million inhabitants and on any given night there are 140,000 visitors.  To be honest there are some very good shows in town but some time or other the Cirque de Soliel thing will get a little stale and that is the backbone of Vegas entertainment.
The team there would be a little like the Yotes or Bolts in the way that there will be as many or more Leaf (or whoever is visiting) jerseys in the crowd. 
I think it would be a real gas to see the Leafs on the Strip.
Certainly better than having to hump it over to Glendale to see the games.
 
If Vegas gets a team and that team sucks for the first few years, interest will quickly diminish.  I think it is more of a short term interest rather than long term desire to have a team. 

Quebec has almost finished its arena which would be more viable and profitable than a team in Vegas...just my opinion.
 
Boston L, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I love Vegas, despite some of the cheezy stuff that is there.  There is a lot of fun and imagination, not my everyday holiday choice but it is what it is.
 
Highlander said:
Boston L, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I love Vegas, despite some of the cheezy stuff that is there.  There is a lot of fun and imagination, not my everyday holiday choice but it is what it is.
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I'm with Boston, I think Vegas is a big rat hole.  A big rat hole with some really great restaurants that is. Personally, I would love to see a team here in Seattle first (or at any time), but who knows when that will happen.

On the flip side, I could fly to Vegas to see a game cheaper (ticket and flight) than the price of a single ticket for a Leaf game in Toronto.
 
Highlander said:
Boston L, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I love Vegas, despite some of the cheezy stuff that is there.  There is a lot of fun and imagination, not my everyday holiday choice but it is what it is.
Click to expand...

There are those who like Vegas and those who don't.  My parents in the past used to visit Vegas for their mini vacation.  They knew how to enjoy it. 
My relatives not so much.

Vegas is jot just about casinos, or playing the slot machines.  It is so much more.  There are shows to take in, many different themed hotels to see, taking walks on the strip, restaurants to savour (buffet-style galore), shopping (plenty just at The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, to name just one place), etc.

To each their own taste, I guess. 
 
The place gets over 50 million visitors a year. Myself I don't gamble much, a little blackjack, not much. Wife likes the slots. So my casino time is limited and yes Vegas is best for 3 or 4 days max.  Some great resto's, the shopping and the fountain at the Bellagio are must see's. Also some old doll from Buffalo makes a killer Margarita  at an outside drink stand at Caesers.
Strolling the strip between the Venetian and New York, New York is an eye opener.
I appreciated it is certainly not for everyone and why some find it cheezy or tacky, there is certainly that factor as well.
For those a trip over to Palm Springs is a good idea.
 
The environmental impact of Los Vegas is pretty terrible, particularly with regards to water use and with the ongoing drought the levels at Lake Mead are perilously low. I don't know if that will have a major impact on the NHL's decision but it seems pretty likely that it'll impact Los Vegas itself soon.

Considering that I imagine it takes quite a bit of water to keep a NHL team in ice it might be a tough political sell.
 
Ya the whole area, Palm Springs, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Vegas are all in drought conditions. I was considering buying a house out in Carefree but the water thing is a real concern. Lake Bartlett was down over 35 feet this winter.
 
Looks like Sin City:  http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2015/06/24/nhl-board-approves-opening-formal-expansion-process-source-says.html
 
If LV is the price of bringing back the Nordiques, then okay.

The Las Vegas Strips
The Las Vegas Babies  ("Vegas, baby!")
The Las Vegas Addiction

.....OMG we have to trade Phaneuf to Las Vegas and then we can call him Celine Dion (even more than now!)
 
Nik the Trik said:
It should probably be taken with a pound and a half of salt but the NY Post reported that the Coyotes are in the process of being sold to Bill Foley and will move to Vegas

http://nypost.com/2015/06/30/arizona-coyotes-to-move-to-las-vegas-under-new-owner/

However everyone at the League and with the Coyotes have denied it in pretty forceful terms.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't surprise me if maybe Vegas is a backup plan if the lease issue doesn't go the team's way, but I don't think it's something that's already been agreed upon.
 
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