IHL president embarks on mission to save Thunder

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999 | 10:59 a.m.

International Hockey League president Douglas Moss said Wednesday that he will be visiting Las Vegas for a few days next week.

It could be prove to be the most important week in the six-year history of the struggling Las Vegas Thunder hockey franchise.

With the Thomas & Mack Center all but washing its hands of the Thunder after this year, Moss will be trying to find another arena in town that might be interested in hosting Thunder games for the 1999-2000 season.

But he said it's only "50-50" the Thunder will be back for another season.

"I'm going to be out there next Tuesday and Wednesday having a series of meetings with several venues out there for us," Moss said. "We very much want to stay in Las Vegas. We believe in the market. We think we're good for the market. We think the market is good for the IHL. We just need a place to play."

Moss said he would be meeting with representatives of the Thomas & Mack, the MGM Grand Garden, the new Mandalay Bay Arena and the proposed Millennium Arena in North Las Vegas about the prospect of being the home site for the IHL squad.

"They've all been intrigued (about housing the Thunder)," Moss said. "What the level of interest is ... we haven't gotten down to the level of negotiations. Right now I'm just trying to see if they can accommodate dates for us next season and get into a lease agreement. This is still very preliminary. If they can accommodate our dates, then we can move along quickly."

Moss said he would like to have the Thunder's arena crisis settled "by the end of the regular season (April 17).

"I'd be lying if I told you I had a good feeling or a bad feeling," he said about the Thunder's chances for survival. I'm going to know a lot more by the end of next week."

Moss didn't rule out the possibility of the Thunder splitting its home games between two sites.

"I'm not married to the idea of having just one building," he said. "Las Vegas is a pretty tight market. It's easy enough to have some games in one (arena) and some other games in another building. That wouldn't be my first choice, but if we had to do that, I wouldn't be opposed to it as long as it kept IHL hockey in Las Vegas."

Moss said keeping a team in Las Vegas is very important for future West Coast expansion by the IHL.

"I look at the West as being our number one priority (for expansion)," he said. "That's what makes keeping IHL hockey in Las Vegas so important.

"We want to add teams in the West. We don't want to decrease it. By adding teams out there, you reduce travel costs and you won't have to play as many games against each other. It's a major priority for us to increase our presence out there in the West."

Still, if the local venues balk at giving up prime weekend dates for a hockey team that has been drawing less than 1,000 actual fans for its most recent weeknight games, Moss may have his hands tied when it comes to keeping the Thunder around for another year.

"Until we have a deal, I can't say we're definitely going to be there," Moss said. "But I'm still optimistic."