There is now yet another twist when it comes to the possibility of NHL expansion to the Seattle market.
According to King5.com, Victor Coleman, a prospective Seattle NHL owner who wanted to work out a deal for a team to play at the “potential” arena in the SoDo district, will not submit an application by the July 20 deadline for the first phase of the expansion process.
A source involved from the Seattle effort said Friday the Coleman group had told the NHL it wanted to finalize the arena site before submitting an application. The same source also indicated Vancouver, B.C., native Coleman hoped to “fast track” the expansion process once a land deal is completed. Coleman’s camp, according to sources, also indicated it is still committed to bringing an NHL franchise to Seattle.
The expansion process began earlier this month, and it was previously reported that the league was expecting one, or perhaps multiple applications from prospective owners or groups in Seattle.
Last month, there was a report that a Seattle group led by Ray Bartoszek was going to apply for an NHL expansion team in Tukwila, Wash., however according to King5.com on Friday, it’s no longer clear if Bartoszek plans to submit an application Monday.
Las Vegas, Quebec City and Toronto have also been mentioned as markets with groups showing particular interest in NHL expansion.
The cost for simply applying for a franchise is $10 million, with $2 million of that being non-refundable, according to the Seattle Times.