Come hell or high water -- Vegas wants a pro team

NHL or NBA, who's first?

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=216693

Associated Press

8/22/2007 11:11:15 PM

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Casino giant Harrah's Entertainment Inc. announced Wednesday that it will partner with AEG, the company that brought David Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy, to build a 20,000-seat arena in Las Vegas capable of housing an NBA or NHL team.

The US$500 million arena, behind the Bally's and Paris hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, is projected to open in 2010. It's a step toward attracting a pro sports franchise to a city that has tried to persuade reluctant league officials to look past its legalized sports betting.

The deal puts a dent in Mayor Oscar Goodman's plans to have an arena built downtown with the help of tax breaks, but he said such plans would go forward. The site for the Harrah's-AEG arena, a block east of the Strip, is in unincorporated Clark County, outside city limits.

Gary Loveman, the chief executive of Harrah's, which is being bought by two private equity firms in a US$17.1 billion deal, said the development was ''very much a part of our master plan for Las Vegas.''

Harrah's has yet to fully detail its long-awaited vision to link or redevelop its nine hotel-casino properties in Las Vegas, including Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah's and Bally's, which are near the same intersection.

 

Given what's going on with the NBA right now I can't see them jumping at the chance to put a team in Vegas.

The NHL on the other hand...

 

Can think of any number of NHL teams which could move ...

 

Las Vegas Predators has a fitting ring...

 

Las Vegas Predators
Las Vegas Hurricanes
Las Vegas Panthers
Las Vegas Lightning
Las Vegas Oilers
Las Vegas Flames
Las Vegas Penguins

I'll stop there.

 

Las Vegas Coyotes?
Las Vegas Thrashers?
Las Vegas Blue Jackets?

 

Considering the Oilers and Flames have been sold out for two seasons ... doubtful.

 

Touche, though making it in the Alberta flatlands ain't easy.

 

I was thinking of an expansion team.

 

Las Vegas Senators
Las Vegas Canadians
Las Vegas Islanders
Las Vegas Rangers
Las Vegas Capitals
Las Vegas Red Wings

 

Oh dear God no ...

 

One in Vegas. One in KC. Move Nashville to the East.

Two 16-team conferences with two eight team divisions each. Top four in each division make the playoffs with the first two rounds played with in the divisions.