Hope everyone had a good (long, if so) weekend! We now rejoin Gary Bettman’s Sayin’ Stuff, already in progress:
What’s the latest there [in Arizona] on the arena front? They are in the process of exploring a number of parcels of land that can host an arena and entertainment retail district project, and my belief is in the next few months, they will finalize something, and they’re looking for situations that don’t require a referendum. There are a number of locations that would be great…
Is there a particular site that seems to be the most likely destination at this point? There may be but I’m not going to tell you what it is. There’s a negotiation obviously that needs to go on…
When do you think a shovel could realistically be in the ground? The answer is certainly sooner rather than later…
What would have to take place for the league to look elsewhere for the Coyotes? I don’t want to speculate on that.
That’s one “the Coyotes are making unspecific progress” and three “no comments,” which is only slightly more informative than refusing to sit down for an interview at all. But because the NHL commissioner did go on and on at length about nothing, he got not only a full article in the Sports Business Journal, but other articles quoting from his non-answers at Arizona’s ABC15, The Hockey News, Front Office Sports, and probably half a dozen other outlets by the time I’ve finished typing this sentence.
We’ve discussed before how the role of sports league commissioners is to create spin out of whole cloth, but sometimes it’s just as important to dominate the news cycle by saying nothing. The ostensible goal of Bettman’s statements is to establish that a Coyotes arena is indeed coming soon and this time it’ll work — several of the headlines picked up on Bettman’s statement that the Coyotes arena site search was “on the verge” of getting resolved, even those that didn’t quote that part of the interview — but it’s arguably equally as important to clog up the Coyotes pages with glurge to avoid any hockey reporters pursuing any actual news about what team owner Alex Meruelo has planned or who would pay for it. (I know it’s hard to picture given the state of sports journalism, but idle hands, you know.)
Bettman did also say that Meruelo is “looking for situations that don’t require a referendum,” which, okay, that’s not really news either, since obviously he’d prefer situations that don’t require a referendum, and the commissioner didn’t actually say whether he’s finding any. So really we’re still back where we were in August, and in June, which is “still working on it.” An equally valid headline would have been “NHL commissioner still can’t say when Coyotes will propose an arena site,” but that’s apparently not the journalistic world we live in.
The phrase “saying the quiet part out loud” feels grossly overused in the times we live in now, but there’s really no other way to describe what he said about situations that don’t require referendums.
Can no one ask him about the absurdity of putting a venue in a town where the voters don’t want it?
If he owns the land, it conforms to whatever zoning is in place, and he is going to pay for it, then he can build whatever he wants whether the voters like it or not.
But, without knowing more details, it’s unclear if any of those three conditions apply to what the Coyotes are considering here.
IIRC, didn’t the Coyotes have an mou on a specific piece of property? They made a big deal out of that, even though it wasn’t a big deal, but in this statement, Bettman didn’t say if they were still focused on that spot. That might mean something.
It’s a “letter of intent,” which is about five steps short of even an MOU:
https://www.fieldofschemes.com/2023/08/10/20259/coyotes-owner-thinking-about-making-a-bid-to-buy-arena-site-in-mesa-maybe-or-somewhere-else-dont-rush-him/
Sorry, I mixed up the terminology.
But that was a specific cite and, as far as I can tell, Bettman didn’t mention Mesa specifically. Maybe the interviewer just asked the wrong questions.
I’m not sure who any of this is meant to appease.
Oh yeah, I just meant that the Coyotes don’t really have an agreement on anything. A letter of intent has as much legal force as clicking “Save to favorites” on Zillow.
We are on the lookout for city officials willing to screw their taxpayers without asking them. Based on past results, we are cautiously optimistic.
Glendale and Tempe have been eliminated from consideration. The mission continues.
Exactly.
Phoenix, which doesn’t want to compete against their own Sun’s arena, and Scottsdale, still haunted by the ghost of George Zraket, are also eliminated from consideration. That leaves Bettman only Mesa, which doesn’t appear eager to provide a billion dollar subsidy for a 3 billion dollar gravel pit development. Then Bettman can go alphabetically, Apache Junction, Avondale, Buckeye, Casa Grande, oops, this isn’t going very well.
Don’t forget Anthem. Every community wants every major league team. Never forget that. We haven’t.
Maybe when they get to Yuma they’ll hit the jackpot. Who knows, maybe Yuma is actually the center of the fabled Coyotes Fan Base.
An “entertainment and retail district” isn’t the answer. They had that in Glendale. It was a very well laid out. When going from the arena to the parking garages you went through the entertainment district. It had everything. Except hockey fans.
Many people have argued – since the Glendale arena was built – that the problem with Glendale is that it was simply too far away from where the fans and the potential fans actually live.
I suppose that could make sense. If the Bruins moved their arena to Lowell or the Maple Leafs played in Oshawa, they’d struggle too.
As I understand it, they’ve always wanted to be in Scottsdale, but can’t make that work. I’m not sure if it’s because they’ve tried to get Scottsdale to pay for it and the citizens, wisely, refuse or if they just don’t want the traffic, etc, or both.
The Glendale is so far argument was always an excuse for a lack of Hockey fans in Arizona. The mythical East Valley full of rabid Hockey fans eager to go to Coyotes games but scared to death of Broadway Curve and Deck Park Tunnel traffic was total fiction. The largest concentration of Coyotes fans (if you consider a few hundred fans a large concentration) is in the North valley, only 20 to 30 minutes from Glendale on the 101 car pool lane.
Easy, Krux!
Research the history of Los Arcos, Steve Elman, the attempted recall of George Zraket, endless contentious council meetings (Glendale was the winner here) and you will understand why Scottsdale is out of consideration. The demographics of the East and West Valleys aren’t as different as is widely believed. Palm Valley, Litchfield Park, Arrowhead and Vistancia are as upscale as anywhere in the East Valley (Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Apache Junction and I will throw in the ultimate hockey hotbed of Guadalupe. That brings us back to Scottsdale, where the big money is. The 101 cuts through the affluent part of Scottsdale, and has been widened twice by ADOT in the last 10 years. After 6pm the car pool lane cruises along at 70 to 80 all the way from Scottsdale Road to Glendale Avenue, 25 minutes tops. The well designed parking lots at Westgate are the easiest to get out of compared to every arena I have been to. As far as the Coyotes fanbase is concerned, TV ratings have been consistently abysmal. Maybe th Coyotes fans have their TV on the wrong side of the room.
“a situation that does not require a referendum”.
Well, I can help there…
Cheapskate Alex could buy his own land and then apply for a development permit and meet all the criteria for building on it, pay the appropriate development fees and off site levies, then start building with his own money and stop when the arena is finished. Of course, he would then have to pay property taxes on this commercial venture (like everyone else does).
I’m here all week, folks, try the veal….
Talk about your gaslighting.
A Letter to Coyotes Fans from Alex Meruelo
https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/letter-to-coyotes-fans-from-owner-alex-meruelo
Ooh that letter is precious. Highlights…
In May, we experienced a setback in our effort to build our permanent home—a disappointment to us and to all of our fans that were excited by our proposal to build the first privately funded sports facility in the history of Arizona (please ignore the $500 million in tax breaks however).
“The Valley is where the organization and I want to be. My family lives here. We are all in (so long as the general public pays for a significant portion of the project – one way or another – that we hope will line our pockets with even more bling than we currently enjoy) ”
We know this community IS a sports mecca. The biggest golf tournament in the world is here. Super Bowls. Final Fours. NASCAR Championships – they are all here (though we recognize that these are single heavily promoted events drawing in fans from all over the country in contrast to the necessary and missing support of local fans over an 82 game regular season plus best of seven playoffs and a few exhibition games)”
“It’s our time now. With a ferocious young team. Outstanding management including President and CEO, Xavier A. Gutierrez and my son, Alex Meruelo, Jr. (because nepotism always works!) .”
Alex Meruelo
Chairman & Governor (Guv? Really? Guv? how pretentious!)
On top of that, Evolving Hockey gives the Coyotes a 6.2% chance to make the playoffs.
https://evolving-hockey.com/blog/2023-2024-team-point-projections/
I should add, that the Phoenix Sky Harbor lawsuit against Tempe is still ongoing and Tempe bares the cost burden, since Mr Meruelo’s TED proposal would have paid for any and all related lawsuits, but TED failed, so he is off the hook.
10/10/2023 ORD – Order 10/10/2023
NOTE: ORDER RE: THE PARTIES’ STIPULATED MOTION TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR CITY OF TEMPE TO FILE RESPONSIVE PLEADING TO CITY OF PHOENIX’S COMPLAINT
Civil Court Case Information, Maricopa County, Case Number CV2023-004729
https://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CivilCourtCases/caseSearch.asp
The Coyotes project for 78 points, with 36 wins, 40 setbacks, and 6 overtime setbacks.
“There is nothing quite like it in the entire NHL” would make an awesome, and accurate, ad slogan for the Coyotes.
The “Glendale is too far” argument will be hilarious when they end up with plot of land in an unincorporated area near Coolidge.
The Coyotes have never put a good product in the ice.
They should move the Coyotes to Fiserv forum in Milwaukee. Wouldn’t even have to change divisions.
The preseason game there between the Wild and Blackhawks was great, sold out in seconds.
My money is on them relocating to Salt Lake City next season. It’s already been heavily rumored since May (8550, myself included, were at the recent frozen fury game there. The fans will heavily support the squad) Houston is getting ready to install new ice making equipment at the Toyota Center, however I’m betting the league will want Houston as an expansion team considering the money tag will come from the ownership group. Either way, I honestly don’t envision a scenario where they remain in AZ.
Salt Lake has gone from dark horse to plausible relocation venue. Scripps now has the Coyotes’ local TV contract and is syndicating their games to Salt Lake this season.
The NHL setting up shop in Houston would be worse than the league’s two failures in Atlanta.
Expansion is highly unlikely. I know the goss is Atlanta and Houston but that seems silly.
I’m really enjoying season 12 of “WTF Is Up With the Arizona Coyotes?” – !!! This shitshow is SO much fun to watch, and Neil, your coverage of it makes for EXCELLENT viewing.
I’m dying for like three more Canadian cities, Hartford (again) and Cleveland to become “real NHL,” cities.
Still hope the Coyotes keep on fightin the good fight down there in the Phoenix-metroplex, because the schadenfreude is DELICIOUS!!! Keep going Alex and Gary. You’ll get the perfect uhm “situation” any old day now! There is some town of suckers in the Valley of the Sun who is ready to Make Hockey Work . . . the Phoenix Way! Arizonans LOVE hockey! They just have an unusual way of showing it.
“I’m really enjoying season 12 of “WTF Is Up With the Arizona Coyotes?” – !!! This shitshow is SO much fun to watch, and Neil, your coverage of it makes for EXCELLENT viewing.”
I think the kids today call them “recaps.”
What I really want to do is upgrade to riffing, where me and a couple of robots sit in the corner of the screen during Coyotes press conferences and crack jokes about them. Who’ll fund my Kickstarter?
Mystery Franchise Theater 3000????
Just to put the near 30 year fiasco of the desert dogs in perspective… the are entering their second season playing in a 4600 seat arena that they cannot sell out.
The National Hockey League literally has no shame. It should be impossible for this shitshow to have lasted as long as it has. And yet here we are, still waiting for some miraculous elephant’s graveyard of hockey fans to appear… 27 years and counting.
Even the WHA would have pulled the plug and ordered this franchise somewhere else by now. This clown act is beneath any league wanting to be considered ‘major’ in status.
Tempe paid $32K to track Coyotes opponents. Now the city is under state investigation.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2023/10/12/arizona-investigating-tempe-contract-influence-coyotes-area-vote/71144953007/