The inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational kicked off Friday at T-Mobile Arena featuring top hockey teams Boston College, Michigan Tech, Arizona State and Northern Michigan, but event organizers "hope to attract even higher-level teams in the future," according to Jesse Granger of the LAS VEGAS SUN. The tournament, run by marketing firm BD Global, is already "scheduled through the next two years." BD Global Senior Associate Dir Jon Albaugh said, "Ultimately, we want to grow the event to where the local hockey community embraces it and comes out to see the best in college hockey." Granger noted Golden Knights GM George McPhee stayed behind on Friday to "watch his son, Graham McPhee, play for Boston College." McPhee: "NHL executives don’t get to see their kids play live very often, so it’s a treat when it happens" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 1/7). BD Global Founder Brooks Downing said that it took "about $250,000 to put together" the event in a partnership with MGM Resorts Int'l. He said that he has already "lined up Ice Vegas college tourneys" for '19 and '20 at T-Mobile Arena, noting a "few thousand fans came to watch these college hockey teams play this week." Downing said that teams "received money for participating in the Ice Vegas Invitational and lodging" with help from MGM Resorts Int"l. The teams had to "travel on their own dime during their holiday breaks" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 1/6).
