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Originally Posted by GioforPM
It's closer to mid-Phoenix all right. But "downtown" Phoenix isn't really like Calgary anyway. Businesses are pretty spread out.
DT Phoenix versus Scottsdale or Tempe isn't really an issue and pretending like that's goalpost moving reflects a pretty biased view. It's like saying advocates for East Village versus Stampede Park versus West Village were advocating for completely different areas of Calgary, when they are within 5 minutes of each other.
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IMO the comparisons to Calgary aren't really relevant. Having an arena in the center of town is very helpful even when business centers are spread out. Dallas, Denver, Houston are easy examples I can think of.
As I said, I don't know Phoenix geography all that well but I don't recall central Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa all being within 5 minutes of each other. If they are, then yeah the point is irrelevant. And I don't know what mass transit is like there either. In my experience the freeways have less traffic than other big US cities.
As for the cities being mentioned where there are different arena for NBA and NHL:
NY metro - ?? not comparable to Phoenix at all
Miami and Sunrise - interesting. Panthers attendance is routinely abysmal whereas the Heat play downtown
Minnesota - didn't know about that.
Maybe the goalposts are being moved I don't know but IMO a downtown arena probably would have helped the Coyotes and would be more ideal than these other locations. But likely not in the cards.
Regardless I think this whole press release and supposed LOI is just a bunch of noise and hype that the owner is using to buy some time. No way is he going to go and fully pay for his own arena.