NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights continue raising the game of hockey to new heights in the valley.
Children in North Las Vegas looking to learn to skate and have top-tier hockey coaching will have it right in their backyards.
MORE: Golden Knights bring youth hockey to former Fiesta Rancho, Texas Station site
VGK owner Bill Foley says this was all part of the plan since the team's inception.
"When we got the team and started developing our plan, a high priority for us was to be part of the community," Foley said. "Embed ourselves in the community and have the community embed themselves with us."
The Golden Knights say youth hockey participation has quadrupled since the team came to town, and the numbers back it up.
According to USA Hockey, in the 2016-2017 season, the year before the Golden Knights had their first season, there were 1,382 registered hockey players in Nevada.
As of the 2021-2022 season, that number has increased to 5,342, and it will surely increase now that the Knights have a Stanley Cup win.
Wednesday, VGK Senior Vice President of Hockey Programming and Development Darren Eliot says this will only be the beginning of hockey's continued growth in the valley.
"How do we best put our expertise together to this project? It was to make sure that this existing rink, the kids who are playing now, they are not displaced," Eliot said. "The facility doesn't close off. We keep it open and operational, put some TLC into it, and ensure that the ice rink stays up until the beautiful new facilities are completed."
The Knights will start their program in November.
It will include everything from learning to skate to the Junior Golden Knights program.
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