General Ongoing Coyotes saga thread

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Ah, so he is not part of Jamieson's group?

No, but I think he was a member of a second group.

Jamison

[troutman]

BrahmResnik ‏@brahmresnik
#Glendale council expected to review a draft lease & non-relo agreement w Jamison in closed session today. Formal vote day after Mem Day?

Lisa Halverstadt ‏@LisaHalverstadtThe Tuesday night vote in #Glendale will be crucial to #Coyotes suitor Greg Jamison's bid to buy the team

Lisa Halverstadt ‏@LisaHalverstadt
Follow @CarrieWatters and @ceciliachan_AZ for #Coyotes updates, including results of #Glendale vote on budget, $17M arena operations fee.

[troutman]

Glendale earmarks $17 million operations fee for Phoenix Coyotes Jobing.com Arena

Management fee will be in city's preliminary budget

http://www.azcentral.com/community/g...com-arena.html

A finalized lease agreement with a potential Phoenix Coyotes buyer has yet to emerge publicly but a Glendale City Council majority appears poised to approve a $17 million fee to operate the city-owned arena.

That's the price City Manager Ed Beasley said former San Jose Sharks chief and Coyotes suitor Greg Jamison has verbally agreed upon to manage Jobing.com Arena next year.

The figure is expected to be included in Glendale's preliminary budget, which council members will vote on Tuesday. The budget must close a $35 million shortfall city officials blame on decreased tax hauls, state assistance and two $25 million pledges to the National Hockey League to keep the Coyotes in Glendale.

Vice Mayor Steve Frate said he feels comfortable approving the fee in the preliminary budget because it won't be effective until council sees a finalized deal. He expects one soon.

"The $17 million is a placeholder and not allocated until an agreement is voted on by council," he said.

Mayor Elaine Scruggs and Councilman Phil Lieberman say they want more information about what it costs to operate the arena before they vote.

Scruggs said she plans to vote against the proposed budget, which also includes increases in sales and secondary-property taxes.

The City Council is set to vote on finalized budget on June 12.

[troutman]

Playoffs Lure Coyotes Buyer as Losses Force City Firings

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...e-workers.html

Among other obstacles: the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix- based public policy research organization that advocates limited government, scuttled another potential deal last year with the threat of a lawsuit. Under that arrangement, Glendale planned to issue $100 million in bonds to purchase parking rights to the stadium from the new owner, a move that the institute charged ran afoul of the state constitution’s ban on gifts to private entities.

Byron Schlomach, chief economist at the institute, said the proposed management fee to the team is too high, because comparable facilities garner around $10 million. That could be reason for the group to sue, he said.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Playoffs Lure Coyotes Buyer as Losses Force City Firings

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...e-workers.html

Among other obstacles: the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix- based public policy research organization that advocates limited government, scuttled another potential deal last year with the threat of a lawsuit. Under that arrangement, Glendale planned to issue $100 million in bonds to purchase parking rights to the stadium from the new owner, a move that the institute charged ran afoul of the state constitution’s ban on gifts to private entities.

Byron Schlomach, chief economist at the institute, said the proposed management fee to the team is too high, because comparable facilities garner around $10 million. That could be reason for the group to sue, he said.

They're gonna have to do a heck of a lot better than that if they plan to be successful. The court is going to give pretty strong deference to the judgment of council barring any signs of impropriety.

[troutman]

Glendale City Council approves $579 Million tentative budget


http://www.azcentral.com/community/g...ntative-budget

The Glendale City Council, as expected, voted 4-3 Tuesday to approve a tentative budget for the coming fiscal year.

City administration has said Jamison agreed to the $17 million from the city for next year.

After that, the city would expect to pay Jamison $20 million annually until 2017, when the bill would drop to $15 million, city budget proposals show.

Mayor Elaine Scruggs said council received a draft arena management agreement Friday night. The council met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss the agreement.

Councilman Manny Martinez said the Coyotes lease agreement could come before the council for a vote on June 12. However, it could come sooner if the council opts to hold a special meeting.

[troutman]

Council Meeting (works in IE):

http://glendale-az.granicus.com/Medi...2&clip_id=1570

Some citizens let them have it around 1:11 . . .

Scruggs speaks at 2:23:40, then drops the mike on the floor . . .

[troutman]

http://goldwaterinstitute.org/blog/s...tes-arena-deal

"Although the Council approved an arena management fee in the budget Tuesday, nothing requires the Council to spend all or any part of it. The city could sign an arena management contract for less than that amount or for no amount at all if the city decides to manage the arena itself or put it out for competitive bidding. That said, we do believe this arena management fee is legally questionable if it is far greater than the value of the services to be provided. Additionally, Glendale taxpayers may choose to pursue future action to contest the fee by referendum. The Goldwater Institute cannot authoritatively comment on the legality of the deal until we and Glendale taxpayers can see the details. However, we are encouraged by reports that this deal will not include a massive up-front payment to help the buyer purchase the team, and we hope that the city will reach a deal that comports with the law and protects the interests of Glendale taxpayers."

— Darcy Olsen, President, Goldwater Institute

[Vulcan]

It sounds like the Goldwater Inst. won't contest the deal as long as the money to buy the team is raised by private interests.

[troutman]

Business leaders oppose city tax increases

Group plans to put referendum on city ballot

http://www.glendalestar.com/news/art...a4bcf887a.html

Chances are there will be several business and civic leaders at the June 12 public hearings. One of them could be David Kimmerle, owner/manager of Sanderson Ford. He is part of a group of 10 business and civic leaders who met May 15 to form a committee to raise money, hire legal counsel and organize for a referendum “if it becomes necessary to stop the Glendale City Council from raising city sales taxes and property taxes to subsidize the Coyotes.”

Kimmerle said the group believes any increase would be counterproductive.“It would drive business from Glendale, reducing the total sales tax collected,” Kimmerle said. “It would put our present businesses in an uncompetitive position. If Glendale raised the sales tax, someone could save $300 or more on anew or used vehicle by driving to Phoenix or Peoria. Anyone could save money by simply crossing a street on his or her next shopping trip.”

Kimmerle said the group believes the vast majority of the citizens of Glendale would support “No new city taxes,” and that a referendum stopping new taxes would pass overwhelmingly.

Kimmerle said the group hopes Glendale City Council will change its position. But if a new tax is passed, the group wants to be organized and be “on the street quickly, gathering the signatures necessary to get the matter on the ballot for the next election. The Coyotes are an asset to the State of Arizona, but it is unfair for Glendale to bear all the cost and bankrupt our city.”

[Jordan!]

I'd say the long term health of Westgate City center is more important to the long term viability of Glendale than a few car dealerships.

[Vulcan]

The Coyotes are an asset to the State of Arizona, but it is unfair for Glendale to bear all the cost and bankrupt our city.” __________________

This is what I've thought, if Phoenix wants the team, the whole city should get behind it, not just lay all the financial responsibility on Glendale. Has the Glendale council ever approached the other govt.s in the area for a unified stand on the team?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

This is what I've thought, if Phoenix wants the team, the whole city should get behind it, not just lay all the financial responsibility on Glendale. Has the Glendale council ever approached the other govt.s in the area for a unified stand on the team?

Those other governments would essentially be making a donation. That would be political suicide.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by valo403

Those other governments would essentially be making a donation. That would be political suicide.

So is the Glendale council committing political suicide by donating to the Coyotes? Ditto for the Calgary, QC and Edmonton councils.

If the other Phoenix area councils can make a case that keeping the team is better for the whole metro area, there shouldn't be a problem. I do agree though there doesn't appear to be much concerted effort to keep the Coyotes, I think they should just fade into the night, if they don't want to try. In fact they should have been gone three years ago, I'm just looking at a possible and fair solution to the whole financial mess.

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I'm just looking at a possible and fair solution to the whole financial mess.

No offense, but why do you care about a fair solution? Do you live in Glendale? I'm not sure there is a fair solution. But there is a better and worse solution and letting the team leave and having west gate be a ghost town is not the better solution.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

No offense, but why do you care about a fair solution? Do you live in Glendale? I'm not sure there is a fair solution. But there is a better and worse solution and letting the team leave and having west gate be a ghost town is not the better solution.

Well a fair solution in the sense that this team isn't the Glendale Coyotes, it's the Phoenix Coyotes and if Phoenix wants the team to represent the whole area, the whole area should take some responsibility.
I get it, you don't live in Glendale but want the team to stay but aren't willing to have your tax dollars go to keeping the team.

[Northendzone]

I am sure that if the CoG was making money off of the Yotes that they would be more than happy to cut cheques to all of the regions in happy valley.......

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I am sure that if the CoG was making money off of the Yotes that they would be more than happy to cut cheques to all of the regions in happy valley.......

"If" hasn't got anything to do with it. The situation at hand is what it is, and the Coyotes have been losing money since they moved to the desert. Does the community of Phoenix want the team or not? It looks to me that they don't. Meanwhile Glendale is pot committed and is about to throw good money after bad.

[tjinaz]

Meanwhile Glendale is pot committed and is about to throw good money after bad.

Do a medical marijuana tax to support the Coyotes. Let the shops open in Glendale and 10% of sales goes to the arena.

Bonus is they could change the name to the Peyotes and play in Hemp sweaters on 4/20.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by tjinaz

Do a medical marijuana tax to support the Coyotes. Let the shops open in Glendale and 10% of sales goes to the arena.

Bonus is they could change the name to the Peyotes and play in Hemp sweaters on 4/20.

or just go back to wearing these sweaters, since they looked like a bad drug trip anyways: