General Ongoing Coyotes saga thread

[Senator Clay Davis]

And you thought it was over? Pffft

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers on Monday asked the state attorney general to investigate a previously undisclosed meeting of City Council members and an Arizona Coyotes attorney last June, days before the council approved a $225 million agreement with the team.

Weiers, who voted against the deal that kept the hockey team in Glendale, said he believes the meeting violated the Arizona's Open Meeting Law and revealed key information to the Coyotes about the city's negotiating position.

"I think it's a clear violation," he said. "That meeting is wrong on so many levels. It's like playing poker and showing your opponents all your cards."

Violations of the Open Meeting Law can rescind actions taken by elected officials, which could potentially void Glendale's deal with the team, which was then called the Phoenix Coyotes.

Council members Gary Sherwood and Yvonne Knaack dispute the allegation, though their version of events appears to conflict with an e-mail obtained by The Arizona Republic.

In the e-mail from Sherwood to Councilman Manny Martinez, Sherwood wrote that he and Knaack "spent over an hour with Nick Woods last night." Woods is an attorney representing IceArizona, the entity that owns the Coyotes.

He went on to write that, "Sammy (Chavira) is already on board as he was with us last night" and closed the e-mail by writing "Manny, please delete this email after you've read it."

Chavira is also a City Council member. Neither he nor Martinez responded to requests for comment.

The council approved a $225 million deal with IceArizona days later, on July 2, on a 4-3 vote, with Sherwood, Chavira, Knaack and Martinez voting yes.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...-law/12956523/

[Coach]

Maybe if both sides "showed the other their cards" they copuld have came to an amicable agreement for both parties (whether that kept the team there or not) rather than scenarios like having something unexpected come up and one side go "Ooo sorry I guess you didn't do a thorough enough job of reading the agreement before signing and now we get this advantage. Too bad for you."

Doesnt exactly lend to a good business relationship to be having between what are supposed to be mutually beneficial partners. The councilman equating it to poker is just not good. You're an elected representative in open talks with a major economic impactor in your city, not a gambler.

Not saying that you can't use some negotiation tactics to try and get better deals, but when we're talking about public service everything should be open. And yes, that includes both the city's and the Coyotes' hands.

[Jordan!]

It is over. this doesn't affect the lease at all but it may affect the elected officials involved. Whom I couldn't care less about.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

It is over. this doesn't affect the lease at all but it may affect the elected officials involved.

Violations of the Open Meeting Law can rescind actions taken by elected officials, which could potentially void Glendale's deal with the team, which was then called the Phoenix Coyotes.

I would guess that even if the existing deal gets rescinded, they just hammer out a new deal... with Seattle ...

... and then that's the end of it.

[JBR]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

It is over. this doesn't affect the lease at all but it may affect the elected officials involved. Whom I couldn't care less about.

Unless the election is on a Monday....

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

It is over. this doesn't affect the lease at all but it may affect the elected officials involved. Whom I couldn't care less about.

It has been over for the Coyotes for years now, guarantee that team will not be in Arizona five years from now. Not a chance.

[Daradon]

Came on to post this story, but I see it has been already.

Yeah, I doubt a deal this big gets rescinded in the end, but wow. What a stench. Going to be a lot of unhappy taxpayers being even more vocal now.

And yeah, I agree they probably get moved in 5 years anyway. Just delaying the inevitable.

[ForeverFlameFan]

It's really unfortunate... The funny part is there are a lot of Coyote fans (believe it or not). The problem though is that where they play should not be in Glendale. Lots and lots of the fans that come are from Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, it's just too far for them. Sure, it's by the Cardinals stadium, but it still failed. I ask people all the time why they don't go to Coyotes games, and it's because of the location. If the Coyotes went back to downtown, you'd see a way better turnout. I used to live 20 minutes away from Jobing.com Arena, but now I live an hour away. I'll still go to Flames games, but it'd definitely be easier if they moved the Coyotes back downtown.

I too don't see the Coyotes here in 5 years. Just too many problems, we've had our chance.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

It's really unfortunate... The funny part is there are a lot of Coyote fans (believe it or not). The problem though is that where they play should not be in Glendale. Lots and lots of the fans that come are from Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, it's just too far for them. Sure, it's by the Cardinals stadium, but it still failed. I ask people all the time why they don't go to Coyotes games, and it's because of the location. If the Coyotes went back to downtown, you'd see a way better turnout. I used to live 20 minutes away from Jobing.com Arena, but now I live an hour away. I'll still go to Flames games, but it'd definitely be easier if they moved the Coyotes back downtown.

I too don't see the Coyotes here in 5 years. Just too many problems, we've had our chance.

Yup, and Phoenix wouldn't be the first to suffer from a poor stadium location. Just that, in a mediocre market like that, it's hurts so much more. But any market could suffer seriously with a stadium in the wrong place. Well, except for maybe the Leafs.

One of the reasons I was upset when there was talk of building the new Calgary arena out north. A dumber idea I couldn't imagine. It's gotta be in the core or just on the outside of it. (As I believe the current location isn't technically considered the core, nor would the one by the bus depot, but both are close and accessible enough to be good locations)