Fidelity National Financial Inc. Chairman Bill Foley has a wide range of business interests beyond the Jacksonville-based title insurance company, but his latest venture is getting a lot of attention beyond the business world.
Foley is exploring the possibility of putting an NHL franchise in Las Vegas.
During league meetings this week, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s Board of Governors “had no objection” to Foley’s plans, according to the league’s website. Foley is starting a ticket drive to see what the level of interest is in bringing a hockey team to the gambling mecca.
“We want to demonstrate to the NHL that there is a lot of interest in Las Vegas,” Foley told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in a story published Wednesday.
“Las Vegas is a sports town,” he said. “If we can deliver the right product on the ice, people will support it.”
The newspaper said a privately owned $375 million arena already is under construction near the Las Vegas Strip that is scheduled to open in 2016 and would seat 18,000 fans for hockey.
Several published reports say Foley is teaming up with the Maloof family, former owners of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, in his bid for an NHL team. It is not clear if the group is interested in starting an expansion team or moving an existing franchise to Las Vegas.
Besides Jacksonville, Foley has homes in Montana and in California, where he owns a growing winery business.
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