We’re going to take something, and we’re going to make it great again,” Leiweke said. “In the recycling capital of the world, one of the greenest cities, that only feels like the right thing to do.”

Answering questions alongside Leiweke Wednesday was billionaire investment banker David Bonderman — the team’s future majority owner — and Bonderman’s business partner, Hollywood film producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Joining them in the room were Tim Leiweke, Seahawks CEO Peter McLoughlin, Mariners majority owner John Stanton, Mariners president Kevin Mather, Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer and NBA Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, among others.

Certainly there are more recognizable figures in the Seattle sports scene, but short of Seahawks owner Paul Allen, the group was composed of the most influential.

The prospect of an NHL team is feeling more real every day, and based on the 10,000 tickets sold within 12 minutes of them becoming available, the excitement is booming, too. Especially when you consider that it took the Las Vegas Golden Knights — the NHL’s newest expansion team — six months to sell the same amount.