Arizona Coyotes May End Up Playing In Phoenix/Scottsdale

Since The Glendale City Council Voted To Cancel The Lease Agreement With The Arizona Coyotes, They Could Move To Phoenix/Scottsdale

Obviously, the NHL and Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t keep the Arizona Coyotes in survival mode to just let them relocate to Las Vegas, Seattle, or wherever. They financed and ran the team with GM Don Maloney’s skillful assistance for four years, with serious threats of the team packing up and moving two years ago still looming in our memories.

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At least one Phoenix city councilman has suggested that Phoenix attempt to lure the team to play in downtown Phoenix. The Suns home, Talking Stick arena was once the home of the then Phoenix Coyotes when they relocated here from Winnipeg in 1995. The arena is not situated for NHL hockey, since the ice had to be a third of the way down one end, causing site line issues. If you sat upstairs you were forced to look at the jumbo screen because your vision down to the ice was blocked.

Still the team drew pretty decent attendance there, averaging 14,592 from ’96-’97 to ’02-’03.

There are whiny east valley fans who complain that driving all the way to the west valley is too much to ask to support the team. I agree it’s a drive, but one Canadian fan voiced in that he drove 100 miles for games, in the snow. He has no issue driving to Glendale for a game, and if you’re a die-hard hockey fan it shouldn’t matter.

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Is moving the team to Phoenix even possible? The Talking Stick arena would need to be renovated to accommodate the ice surface, and it is a fairly old facility. Would a brand new basketball/hockey arena be considered for the downtown area?

Then there’s always the Scottsdale — Los Argos option which was considered before Glendale took the reins and offered such a good deal that the team grabbed it quickly. Like a center getting the perfect pass on his blade ending in a breakaway goal, the Glendale city council voted to build an arena for hockey, and you know the rest of the story. The problem is — this is a NEVER ENDING story!

Lots of questions to be answered.

The biggest question the Glendale City Council needs to consider is if you kick out the Arizona Coyotes from the Gila River Arena, what happens to the Westgate City Center? Without a main tenant like the hockey team, they would see extreme losses, and be forced to close the arena down. As it is now, they are not getting as many non-hockey events to supplement their income. They had 13 concerts opposed to six last year, so it’s improving.

Still, without the hockey team there bringing in revenue from ticket sales, parking, and concessions the arena’s success is doomed. And then there is the trickle down affect. Other local businesses — restaurants, bars, retail will all suffer with no events bringing in customers.

The City of Glendale will probably try to beg off from the signed contract with the team, and see what happens. I don’t see the Coyotes falling for that. The new owner Andrew Barroway is not a fool, and knows when he has an agreement it should be honored by both parties.

If they think this is a negotiation ploy to force the Arizona Coyotes into agreeing to something besides the original lease and arena management contract, then they are dreaming.

I’m not sure what is next in this “lease-gate” fiasco. When a business loses it’s lease, the tenant usually is forced to leave. How does a NHL team just go shopping for a new home? How does GM Don Maloney’s management team, along with the ownership group accept that with this controversy it is difficult to attract new sponsors, new free agents, or even try to act like nothing is in upheaval?

The embattled Glendale mayor, Jerry Weiers had this to say:

“We’ve all taken a beating tonight here, and I think it’s all unjust because most of the fans don’t understand the complexity of this issue,” Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said before being interrupted by several Coyotes fans in attendance. “The complexity of this issue is the fact that you don’t have all the information. When you have more information, I think you will have a better understanding.”

Okay, Mayor — please supply ALL the information so we may all understand the “complexity” of this issue. The facts seem clear. The City of Glendale is reneging on a contract to lease the arena to the Arizona Coyotes. Perhaps since they feel they made a bad deal for themselves, or that the team may leave once the opt-out $50 million in losses transpires. In either case, STOP MESSING WITH OUR HOCKEY TEAM ! !

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