LAS VEGAS — In a city built on chance, it feels like a safe bet that the N.H.L. will become the first major professional sports league to plant a franchise in this gambling and entertainment oasis in the desert.
The outer walls of a new arena are going up behind the New York-New York casino, and the interior is perfectly configured for hockey, from the dressing rooms to the press box.
The wealthy businessman Bill Foley is leading the way for an expansion team, bolstering his bid group with the Maloofs, a family of market-savvy former N.