There is still plenty of hockey to be played this season, and my beloved Chicago Blackhawks are doing great, yet I am already looking forward to next season.  The reason is the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights, who will debut next season.

Las Vegas has been on the NHL’s radar dating back to an exhibition game outside Caesars Palace in 1991. Since 1997 the MGM Grand Garden Arena regularly hosted a preseason game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche.

Las Vegas is one of only a handful of the 50 most populated U.S. cities to not have any team represent the four major sports. Oddly, Las Vegas is counting on tourism as much as it’s counting on its residents. Since the announcement, I heard from several groups of friends from all over the country who want to plan a trip to see their hometown hockey team play the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights will play in the beautiful new T-Mobile Arena, which will seat 17,500 fans. The arena is a major part of The Park, a new retail and dining area between New York-New York and the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. I got an early look at the arena last year, and it is world-class.

As exciting as this is, I think it is only the beginning. The NFL has been flirting with moving a team to Las Vegas, and with the MLB always looking to expand, Vegas is now among the hottest cities in the discussions.

Sports and Las Vegas go hand in hand. A night of hockey will probably cost less than a night of shows and gambling. The easy access and visibility will also drive traffic there. Additionally, as stated earlier, it will also create new sports-cation possibilities. I know as soon as the schedule is set, I will be making my plans to see the Blackhawks.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist