Another day, another facilities challenge facing the Arizona Coyotes. PHNX’s Craig Morgan has heard from multiple sources that the Coyotes’ current arena construction proposal in the city of Tempe does not currently have the votes from city council needed for approval. The next Tempe city council meeting is set for this Thursday, though no date for an official vote on the arena proposal has been set, providing some hope that the deal is not yet dead.
Morgan writes that as of now there are three city councilmen firmly voting yes versus two firmly voting no, but that the two undecided votes are now leaning no as well. This change in opinion allegedly stems from the Coyotes’ recent failure to make payments to their current home in the city of Glendale, combined with a lack of information on the financing of the Coyotes’ $1.7 billion construction proposal. One source claimed that the club’s public image has been damaged to the point that even one more “negative news story” would surely kill the proposal.
This kind of opposition was not expected for the Coyotes’ Tempe plans. The team was the only group to submit a bid to develop this particular parcel of land in Tempe and had a vision not only for an arena but also an accompanying entertainment district. With no competing proposal, a plan that would drive traffic and revenue to Tempe and create jobs, as well as earn the city good will for keeping the ’Yotes in Arizona, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the plan would pass. However, it seems the diminished trust in owner Alex Meruelo and his group could surprisingly crush those hopes.
If there is one factor that the ultimate decision could hinge on, it is the Coyotes’ relationship with the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community. Should the Tempe proposal fail, many feel that the team will next look to the nearby native group as an option to build an arena. As Morgan puts it, this border location would see Tempe experience all of the vehicle traffic and associated negative issues while seeing none of the profit. If it seems as though a Salt River Pima plan is locked in as the Coyotes’ Plan B, Tempe may have to rethink voting against their Plan A.
The NHL is going to need to step in somehow and relocate, or help with everything in no city is gonna trust this owner.
This is all on Bettman. The league never should have propped them up 15 years ago just to keep them in another NBA market. He’s a joke.
I’ve lived in Houston. It’s not a great hockey city, but it has to be better than this. Hasn’t the NHL seen enough?
It doesn’t matter. It’s been glaringly, crystalline obvious for two decades now that Bettman’s ego is all in on this, this is the hill he chose to die on, and he’ll never give up or give in as long as he’s still commissioner … doing so at this point is not merely admitting that he was WRONG, but that he’s been wrong for 25 years. The guy is going to have “SUN BELT! SUN BELT!” engraved on his tombstone.
Because he was/is right.
Without putting teams in the Sun Belt, the NHL would basically be the National Lacrosse League.
Bettman took a regional niche sport on something called SportsChannel that made about $400 million a year and made it into $5 billion a year industry.
That some of the Sun Belt teams individual struggle is not as important, what is important is that it allows the NHL to offer the networks and sponsors a national product.
Although, Vegas now gives him the flexibility to move the Yotes if need be.
Just move them to Quebec city
Absolutely! Quebec has a modern NHL-size arena. If the current Coyotes owners aren’t interested, there are local backers still pining for the privilege.
The Salt River Pima plan has been talked about for years but has never materialized. The Tempe proposal has always been a long shot. Hate to see hockey leave but it is starting to seem inevitable.
Still time to pay off the other two council members. ;)
Wonder if some folks from Houston will be attending this meeting?
Dis regarding Tempe and move to Scottsdale as intended years ago.
When in doubt..always move to where the rich people reside.
Trading that possible first overall pick for Austin Matthews would help as well.
Glendale, Phoenix and Tempe don’t trust them. Why would Scottdale be any different?
Relocate this team already. I better not see Bettman saying how they won’t move.
There are alot of hockey fans here in SLC/Utah that would take them in an instant. We just need Ryan Smith (Jazz Owner) to step up. We even have 2 great venues (Rsl’s Rio Tinto Stadium, Rice Eccles Stadium) and the weather for some outdoor games