from Alan Snel of the Las Vegas Review-Journal,

After exploding out of the box with about 5,000 season ticket deposits in the first 36 hours two weeks ago, the ownership group seeking a National Hockey League team for Las Vegas reported Monday that the number has reached 6,950.

Lead investor Bill Foley, chairman of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Fidelity National Financial, said the “Hockey Vision Las Vegas” initiative signs up about 100 to 150 ticket deposits a day, with the low at about 50 a day to a high of 200 daily deposits.

The goal of the ticket drive is at least 10,000 commitments.

“I need 1,500 good men and women to make deposits on two seats,” Foley said. “We’re not going to casinos or the Strip (asking for deposits). We’re asking local people that they put their hard-earned money down for a deposit.”

The minimum ticket deposit is $150, about 10 percent down. The most expensive seat requires a $900 deposit. Foley said the cheapest seats in the upper bowl and the costliest ones at center ice are selling the quickest.

He noted that some casino companies have approached him about buying blocks of season ticket deposits in the hundreds, but those are being declined.

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