EDITORIAL: The puck stops here

Back in the 1990s, Las Vegas went through lower-level professional sports teams like most people go through socks. From the infamous XFL to the Arena Football League to indoor soccer to roller hockey, and even the Canadian Football League, teams came and went at a fairly rapid pace.

Sure, a few optimists dared broach the idea of the city attracting a major sports franchise — think NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball — but the usual reaction was a titter or giggle, based not only on the city’s sketchy sports history and relatively small population base, but on the presence of legalized sports betting.

Hockey, though, has always been a bit different here in the desert.

The Las Vegas Thunder, which joined the International Hockey League in 1993, had several successful seasons and a devoted fan base until the franchise folded in 1999. Ditto the Las Vegas Wranglers, playing here from 2003-2014.

Within the past decade or so — as the Southern Nevada market continued to grow and sports leagues slowly dialed back their opposition to gambling — it became apparent that sooner or later a major professional sports franchise would inevitably call Las Vegas home.

And now it will apparently come to pass.

As reported by Review-Journal’s Steve Carp, the NHL’s executive committee has recommended approving Bill Foley’s bid to bring an expansion team to Las Vegas. The matter will now be put to a vote next week by the league’s Board of Governors, which typically takes its cues from the executive committee.

The puck drops here for the 2017-18 season at the new T-Mobile Arena.

Getting to this point was decades in the making. T-Mobile Arena is a world-class venue more than capable of handling a world-class tenant such as an NHL team. And of course, there’s the evolution of views on wagering. With a big assist from the fantasy sports explosion, sports betting is now much more mainstream and widely accepted.

The NHL’s move — along with the NFL’s recent interest in Southern Nevada — represents a significant milestone in the evolution of modern Las Vegas, from Soddom and Gomorrah in the desert to bustling mainstream metropolis. You can bet there’s more to come.

The right owner, the right league, the right venue, at the right time. Congratulations to all who made it happen.