I think he may have misinterpreted your question. There are actual costs for the visa along with some pretty extensive paperwork and additional required monitoring of the student, but i doubt they add up to more than a couple grand. There could also be increased recruiting expenses associated with foreign players (though in the case of JJ and Hoff, i believe all recruiting was done while they were stateside in the USHL).
With that said, local players are typically better for local (and state) support, as long as there isn't a talent drop-off.