Fifth Avenue Forum

Just days after officially opening its expansion sweepstakes, the NHL has received five requests for expansion bid applications. Las Vegas, Quebec City and the Greater Toronto Area are in the mix as expected, but what might surprise some observers is its believed there are two competing bids from Seattle.

A source indicated that Victor Coleman, a Los Angeles-based real estate developer and native of Vancouver, has definitely requested a bid package and intends to apply by the July 20 deadline. The other Seattle bid is believed to be coming from Connecticut investment banker Ray Bartoszek. And if that weren’t enough, there are apparently two groups looking at the possibility of building an arena in the affluent suburb of Bellevue, which is across Lake Washington from Seattle.

NHL likely to have at least two expansion bids from Seattle

Just days after officially opening its expansion sweepstakes, the NHL has received five requests for expansion bid applications. Las Vegas, Quebec City and the Greater Toronto Area are in the mix as expected, but what might surprise some observers is its believed there are two competing bids from Seattle.

A source indicated that Victor Coleman, a Los Angeles-based real estate developer and native of Vancouver, has definitely requested a bid package and intends to apply by the July 20 deadline. The other Seattle bid is believed to be coming from Connecticut investment banker Ray Bartoszek. And if that weren’t enough, there are apparently two groups looking at the possibility of building an arena in the affluent suburb of Bellevue, which is across Lake Washington from Seattle.

And put me in the expansion-is-dumb-relocate-the-[Panthers/Yotes] camp.

I've said it before, Seattle is a great progressive sports town. They are perhaps the only MLS team that can play in a football stadium and make it seem like they belong there. They would embrace the hell out of a hockey team, and I guarantee it would instantly become one of the loudest arenas in the sport.

I've said it before, Seattle is a great progressive sports town. They are perhaps the only MLS team that can play in a football stadium and make it seem like they belong there. They would embrace the hell out of a hockey team, and I guarantee it would instantly become one of the loudest arenas in the sport.

So theyre going to engineer that to be loud too?

Paul Allen isn't interested in having a team?

This new petition incorporates all amendments to the previous petition considered by the City Council, and builds on it with several important differences:

The Arena Will Be 100% Privately Financed - The Arena requires no public financing – it will be 100% privately financed.

Traffic Improvements - We are contributing an additional $1.3 million to implement several SDOT projects in the 2016 Freight Master Plan – on top of the benefits recommended by SDOT and Seattle Design Commission.

No Team Means No Arena Means No Vacation - There will be no vacation unless and until an NHL or NBA team is acquired and the arena is under construction. If a team isn't acquired and the arena project does not get built in this location, the street will not be vacated.

Joint Scheduling Agreement - An agreement has been made with the Seahawks, Mariners, and Sounders, ensuring no major event will occur at the arena at any time that overlaps with major events at Safeco Field or CenturyLink Field.