Arizona Coyotes Send Clear Message To Glendale On Arena Situation

The Arizona Coyotes continue to tell Glendale that they are breaking up, but the city doesn’t seem to be listening.

When the Arizona Coyotes had their 15-year agreement with Glendale regarding Gila River Arena broken last summer, fans began to see none too subtle signals that the team was looking for new digs.

Not in Las Vegas nor Canada, but here in the Valley.

At the time, it seemed like a date or an event that was far, far into the future. As the season progressed, however, ownership implied that we would know something definitive before the NHL season concluded.

During the press conference announcing John Chayka’s hiring as general manager, President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc stated that he expected to have news to report on that front by the date of the NHL Draft – June 24th.

Through all of this positive momentum, the city of Glendale has walked backed it’s hard line stance regarding the Arizona Coyotes. They believe the team will stay put despite the hardships and general ornery nature of their dealings with IceArizona.

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Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers wrote a fairly stern letter to Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton rebuking his attempts to lure the Arizona Coyotes out of Glendale. His letter was also mirrored by Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps writing his own Phoenix counterpart Ed Zuercher.

“It is unfortunate that no one from the mayor’s office took the time to reach out to myself or other members of the Glendale City Council to learn firsthand about the efforts underway to retain the Coyotes here in Glendale,” Weiers wrote “… If asked, I would have gladly shared information about our efforts to retain the Coyotes in an arena built for them just over 13 years ago.”

Apparently, Anthony LeBlanc was a bit confused by the correspondence from Mayor Weiers and City Manager Phelps.

“Simply put, the Arizona Coyotes have every intention of leaving Glendale as soon as practicable,” LeBlanc wrote back.

He further wrote that “by unilaterally breaking a 15-year-signed management agreement with the team – a contract the Coyotes would have honored for the length of its term – the Council effectively evicted us from our home.”

“While you claim that the Council has had a change of heart, we have not. As a business responsible for hundreds of employees, and a team, that relies on the support of hundreds of thousands of fans statewide, we simply cannot afford to do business with the partners who do not keep their word, or honor their contracts.”

Strongly worded, indeed.

Next: Coyotes 2015-16 Player Grades: Louis Domingue Was A Pleasant Surprise...

Glendale is standing outside the Arizona Coyotes’ window with their boombox in the air.

Whatever song they are playing for the franchise isn’t working anymore.