Vegas to get first sport franchise

June 23, 2016

Las Vegas will get its first ever professional sports franchise, after the NHL voted to create the league’s 31st team – who will play on Vegas’ iconic strip at the at the T-Mobile arena.

This is the first time the NHL has expanded since 1997, when it introduced four new franchises.

The yet-to-be-named team will play in front of 17,368 fans. More than 14,000 people have put down season ticket deposits, before the decision was even announced.

It means heartbreak for Quebec, who were competing with LA for the new franchise.

The Vegas team will enter the league in 2017. Principal owner Bill Foley, a Las Vegas businessman, and his partners will pay a $500m fee for the franchise.