Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Toronto sports official on NHL in Las Vegas: ‘It’s a bad idea’

NHL Announces Las Vegas Team

Steve Marcus

New franchise owner Bill Foley shakes hands with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during an NHL news conference announcing Las Vegas’ first professional sports franchise Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at Encore. The NHL team is expected to begin play in the 2017-18 season at T-Mobile Arena.

One person isn’t convinced that an NHL hockey team in Las Vegas is sustainable long-term.

His name is Richard Peddie, the former president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment over 14 years from 1998 to 2011. He was at the helm of the group for a number of transformational projects, including the Air Canada Centre (home of the Toronto Maple Leafs), Toronto FC and their home, BMO Field, Maple Leaf Square, Real Sports Bar & Grill, Leafs TV, Raptors TV and extensive commercial developments. Under his vibrant leadership, Peddie transformed MLSE into a sports empire tripling its value to $3 billion.

“Bad mistake. The NHL owners are going to regret it. It’s not a great community economically,” Peddie said of the Las Vegas expansion team. “Fan avidity will not develop.”

Here is the rest of the story from Forbes

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