{"id":348638,"date":"2026-06-24T15:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/348638\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T15:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:56:09","slug":"nhl-exploring-texas-expansion-in-houston-or-austin-with-billionaire-dan-friedkin-and-family-local-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/348638\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL exploring Texas expansion in Houston or Austin with billionaire Dan Friedkin and family | Local Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 The NHL is exploring potential expansion in Texas in either Houston or Austin under an agreement with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Bettman said the Board of Governors executive committee endorsed a term sheet agreed to with the Friedkins over the next six months. The total investment required between an expansion fee and the cost to build a new arena in one of those cities would amount to $3.5 billion, according to Bettman, who said discussions over the past two years largely revolved around Houston before Austin joined the conversation.<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%92E\u2019D A2CE @7 E96 AC@46DD \ud83d\ude00 E@ 56E6C&gt;:?6 H92E H@F=5 36 36DE[ 3@E9 7@C E96 =628F6 2?5 7@C s2? uC:65&lt;:? 2?5 72&gt;:=J[\u201d q6EE&gt;2? D2:5] Qq@E9 4:E:6D H:== C6BF:C6 2 ?6H 2C6?2] xE &gt;2J 36 &gt;@C6 762D:3=6 \ud83d\ude15 @?6 A=246 E92? 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