Houston and Austin are fighting to land an NHL expansion franchise.Commissioner Gary Bettman is opening a six-month window for the Texas rivals to prove their worth.Dan Friedkin has ownership experience in European soccerShutterstockBoth proposals would require a huge financial outlay and a new arena to be built.The Friedkin family — headed by Dan Friedkin — is being targeted as the owner of the Texan franchise.An estimated $3.5 billion cost includes $1.5 billion earmarked for construction of a new facility.“We have been in discussions for the better part of two years with the Friedkin family, principally for the last two years about Houston as an expansion opportunity,” Bettman said.“But as we continued to focus with them, particularly on the need for a new arena in Houston, the discussions morphed into also a discussion about Austin, which would also need a new building.“But we are going to work together under the terms, a term sheet that we were able to agree upon, in terms of a framework to consider what makes the most sense moving forward.”Friedkin is the owner of Serie A team Roma and English Premier League outfit Everton.Forbes estimates his net worth at $11.4 billion.The NHL‘s 33rd team would be the second in Texas after the Dallas Stars.Seattle Kraken was the last expansion team after paying $650 million in 2018 and arriving for the 2021-22 season.Bettman is looking to double Texas’ stake in hockeyGettyStars spending billions on new homeThe Stars will leave the American Airlines Center they share with the NBA‘s Mavericks in 2031.Following confirmation that the Mavs had reached a preliminary agreement on a 104-acre site where the Valley View Mall once stood, the Stars unveiled plans to move to Plano.A $2.3 billion hockey-specific arena and entertainment district is set to be built, but the deal isn’t fully sealed.“I’d like to thank Mayor [John B.] Muns and the entire Plano City Council for their support, and their approval of our letter of intent and several other items connected to the redevelopment of The Shops at Willow Bend,” Tom Gaglardi, owner, governor and chairman of the Stars, wrote in a statement.Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson is gutted that his city might lose out.“The knives are out for Dallas. We have a serious, serious situation on our hands. We are in a very cutthroat competition,” he said on June 4.American Airlines Center has witnessed some iconic momentsGetty“I’ve been saying this for years now, and I hope everybody who’s been watching the news this week understands that I wasn’t crying wolf like we are in a very serious competition.“The wolf is at the door and the wolf is not in this room. The wolf is not in this room. The wolf is up the tollway.”Plano Mayor John B. Muns fired back, “I respect Mayor Johnson, but our doors are open. We hope that all goes well, and the Stars will be here in ’31.”Stay up to date on all things NHL across our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET.