LAS VEGAS — In a city built on chance, it feels like a safe bet that the N.H.L. will become the first major professional sports league to plant a franchise in this gambling and entertainment oasis in the desert.

The outer walls of a new arena are going up behind the New York-New York casino, and the interior is perfectly configured for hockey, from the dressing rooms to the press box.

The wealthy businessman Bill Foley is leading the way for an expansion team, bolstering his bid group with the Maloofs, a family of market-savvy former N.B.A. team owners with long ties to Las Vegas.

A goal of securing deposits on 10,000 season tickets was met this spring faster than anyone had expected, with the number sitting at 11,500, according to Foley, plus another 1,000 unpaid commitments from casinos and other businesses.