New Arizona Coyotes sole owner Andrew Barroway and his new CEO Steve Patterson opened their mouths this week and lots and lots of words fell out, so let’s get right to them. First, Barroway:
“We’re going to get a new stadium here. It’s just a question of when,” Barroway said. “We’re going to make it happen. I think we’ve put the people in place to get it done, I can tell you we are aggressively pursuing all options and we have to make it work. We don’t have a choice.”…
“Failure’s not an option. We have to get it done.”
That’s all more or less meaningless, unless you take Barroway literally at his word and think, “You have to get it done, one way or another? Okay, then, quit asking Phoenix-area governments to help you with subsidies, since you have to get it done even if it requires paying with your own money, right? Also, it’s an ‘arena,’ not a ‘stadium,’ you bozo.”
And now, Patterson, who was picked for the job in part for his experience shepherding sports venue deals for the Houston Texans and Portland Trail Blazers:
“I think any professional franchise needs an arena that suits the needs of the fan base and can provide a best-in-class experience. … I recognize there’s a lot of hard work to do, but I’m optimistic we’ll have a second generation of Coyotes fans growing up here in the desert.”…
“Arena deals take time, talks and negotiations. They’re kind of like vampire movies. You go to the coffin a dozen times and you think they’re dead, but they keep rising back up. Every single deal I’ve been involved with was thought to be dead a dozen times and then it rose back up.”
Vampires. You know, soulless creatures of evil that you have to stake through the heart to be sure they don’t rise up and kill you? Those things. We gotta get us one of those, and failure is not an option.
The Coyotes arena situation is going to continue to provide entertainment value at least until Phoenix becomes uninhabitable, guys.
The Coyotes already have a fairly new $200 million tax-payer funded arena.
I think that the State Legislature has already put a wooden stake in their last arena bill, dragged it out into the desert sun, and then watch it turn into ash, blown away in the hot wind.
The Coyotes should float a plan to disassemble their Glendale arena, and rebuild it in Scottsdale. It would surely cost more than building new, but people wouldn’t feel like they’re paying for yet another arena. And they would’d have to compete with their old arena for concerts. Sure, it’s crazy! But just crazy enough it might just work… to get me institutionalized!
An arena within the City of Scottsdale won’t happen since they turned it down the last time, however, I think on tribal land near the new Phoenix Rising FC stadium would be a good central location not only for the fanbase in Scottsdale, but for the fanbase in Chandler, Gilbert, and Ahwatukee as well.
It’s a lie, in an attempt to get another taxpayer funded arena, put forth by the Coyotes, that their fan base is in the East Valley. The truth is th Coyotes have no fan base anywhere in Arizona. There simply are not enough hockey fans in the desert to support an NHL team, especially one that is among the worst in the league.
Didn’t the coyotes already try and Con the tribal leaders into building them an arena and were turned down ?
Yes they did fail with one of the local groups. I believe that group ended up as a naming rights sponsor though.
Still, if at first you don’t succeed etc….
Well, Andrew Barroway is stating he is going for a new arena building until he gets it right.
http://arizonasports.com/story/1174841/qa-arizona-coyotes-owner-andrew-barroway/
Now, what is the definition of insanity, again?
So, really, he maybe saying theres a whole string of new Coyotes arenas to be built in the next 20 years… and hopefully one of them will somehow make fans pay NHL prices to see NHL hockey in large numbers – something they have not been willing to do in 20+ years in the desert.
You are right on target. No matter how many taxpayer funded arenas you build, and no matter where you put it, there simply is no support for NHL- priced hockey. Downtown Phoenix didn’t work, the West Valley didn’t work. 20 years, 2 taxpayer-funded arenas, several years in bankruptcy…hockey in AZ just doesn’t work.
“The Coyotes already have a fairly new $200 million tax-payer funded arena.”
In just 6 more years that arena will be nearly 20 years old, which in stadium-years makes it ancient, obsolete, worn-out and dilapidated. Also, $200 million will probably be the down payment on the next taxpayer-subsidized palace. It’s gonna be a doozy.
Patterson was brought in specifically to mooch another arena, and I’d bet he’ll get it done. He’s well plugged-in with the Powers That Be. And that dead arena bill rotting away in the desert sun? It left many progeny, and each will takes its turn parading before the legislature until enough pols are beaten into submission or bribed into “getting ‘er done.”
Putting Steve Patterson in charge of this fiasco is like pouring gasoline on a fire. In Phoenix.
But at least we know now that Portland will not be a candidate for relocation under the current regime.
No one in Arizona gives a rats-ass about the Coyotes. No more corporate welfare for a team we don’t care about. Please take the Coyotes and move them back to Canada!
In a way he’s right, failure is not an option, it’s the predetermined solution.
Yes, they did fail at least once with one of the local groups. But if first you don’t succeed….
Sorry Steve… tried to post that under a different comment but it ended up on yours somehow…
Why is it always best in class? Why not world class?
Because that’s how the script was written originally.
I remember a time when 2 or 3 fools working for the Coyotes or NHL would actually comment in the coyotes favor. Guess they’ve given up.
It’s just sad at this point.
Andrew Barroway on NHL Network talking about still having multiple groups and multiple locations for his new arena
https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/video/nhl-tonight-barroway-on-doan/t-277437086/c-52428203
Coyotes to Houston. Les (no hockey) Alexander is selling the Rockets. Great arena, huge market, rivalry for Dallas Stars, and nice fit for Central division.
Truth in advertising. That’s a rarity.
Phoenix Suns owner: More likely to renovate downtown arena, not share with Arizona Coyotes
https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2017/07/19/phoenix-suns-owner-more-likely-to-renovate.html
Glendale losing less on Gila River Arena, but what if Coyotes leave?
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2017/08/24/gila-river-arena-profit-arizona-coyotes-leave-glendale/574681001/