Las Vegas, Quebec City chosen to bid for an NHL expansion spot

Las Vegas and Quebec City are moving closer in their bids to land a NHL franchise.

A Bill Foley-led group and Montreal-based communications giant Quebecor are in the third and final stage of a process to potentially bring the world’s top hockey league to Las Vegas and Quebec City, respectively.

“They have been invited to make presentations to the executive committee on Tuesday,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an email.

Later in the day, the committee will report to the NHL Board of Governors.

“Evaluation process will continue,” Daly wrote. “No defined timeline.”

Quebecor spokesman Martin Tremblay and Michelle Kersch, spokeswoman for Foley’s group, confirmed their groups will make a presentation.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said earlier this month the league is “not feeling any timeline pressure,” in the expansion process. Bettman has proposed an expansion fee of $500 million, a significant jump from the $80 million paid by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, when the NHL last expanded to 30 teams in 2000.

It is expected to take at least two years before the NHL would potentially have 32 teams playing.

The two groups were chosen from 16 applicants.