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Bettman says NHL will consider Seattle expansion bid

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Friday, June 23, 2017, in Chicago. Photo: Associated Press/Nam Y. Huh

MANALAPAN, Fla. (AP) — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league’s board of governors has agreed to consider an expansion application from Seattle.

Bettman said the expansion fee has been set at $650 million for Seattle, which would become the league’s 32nd team, if approved. He made the announcement Thursday after the first day of the board of governors meeting.

Bill Foley paid a $500 million expansion fee for the Vegas Golden Knights. They began play this season.

Seattle plans to have a new arena ready by 2020 with the intent of luring an NHL and an NBA team as anchor tenants.

Bettman says Seattle is the only city being considered for expansion at the moment, which means an NHL team likely won’t be playing in Quebec City’s 18,259-seat Videotron Centre in the foreseeable future.

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