from Matt Youmans of the Las Vegas Review-Journal,

It’s a developing story, not a done deal. In May, MGM Resorts broke ground on a $375 million, 20,000-seat arena on the Strip that is set to open in 2016, and it figures to someday be home to an NBA or NHL franchise. A hockey team is now the favorite in the race to be first.

The issue of legalized sports wagering will be a hot topic for debate, though in reality it should not be an issue at all.

There is no way to justify a betting ban on Las Vegas’ NHL team when UNLV football and basketball games are offered in the books. Bettman might not make the request, but if he does, there should be a unified effort to refuse a sports book blackout of the local team.

“We don’t know what their intentions are, and they might not want that,” LVH sports book director Jay Kornegay said of the NHL. “I can’t speak for the industry, but I think it would be hypocrisy if we took our home team off the board. I just think we’re sending the wrong message if we were to take games off the board.

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