General Ongoing Coyotes saga thread

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

I agree Bettman must have much latitude, but I would think an $85 million loan is something you would run by the board (assuming these details are correct)?

Maybe, but it could also be a situation where the BoG assigned broad decision making power to a smaller committee or to the commissioner. They could very well have set up a sort of outer limit on things that would be acceptable and entrusted Bettmann or others to run the deal within those parameters. You see that happen every single day in the business world.

There's also the possibility that Molson was either out of the loop, he has a number of other pursuits, or was simply dodging the question, and the inevitable follow ups.

[troutman]

NHL wants certainty soon in RSE's talks with Glendale
http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/nhl/...07&feedID=3702

While sources maintain that the NHL is pressuring Renaissance Sports and Entertainment to strike a deal this week (at least in principle) with the City of Glendale on a lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena, Glendale councilmember Gary Sherwood received mitigating information over the weekend.

Sherwood spoke to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Sunday, and Daly assured him that there is “no deadline, per se.” Daly told Sherwood that if the city and RSE appear to be headed toward an agreement, the NHL would be amenable to the Glendale City Council voting on it in July rather than on June 25, when the council next convenes.

That somewhat contradicts what sources have said the league is telling RSE. Under that scenario, the city and RSE -- the ownership group of George Gosbee, Anthony LeBlanc, Daryl Jones and Avik Dey -- would need to have a deal ready by June 17 so that it could be presented at the Glendale City Council Executive Session on June 18 and then voted upon at the council meeting one week later.

No matter what you’ve heard about the possibility of the Coyotes playing one more season in Glendale under NHL stewardship, rest assured that will not happen. The Coyotes will not be in Glendale next season without a lease agreement with the City of Glendale and a consummated sale of the team.

Sherwood confirmed that one of RSE's principles, Anthony LeBlanc, delivered a number of proposals and "interesting ideas" for managing Jobing.com Arena on paper to Glendale acting city manager Dick Bowers on June 7. Bowers is reviewing those.

Bowers and other representatives from the city were also scheduled to meet with representatives of Beacon Sports Capital Partners on Monday to review the four bids Beacon received recently to manage the arena. It is still unknown who submitted those four bids.

[Beatle17]

The BOG may have already approved this based upon the cost being spread across 29 teams. This works out to less than $3M per team and if you extend it out over 5 years time it is costing them less to finance this deal than actually operating the team in Phoenix. I believe I read that each team was responsible for up to $1M per season for the Coyotes operations (I could be wrong) so if the league had to run the team over the 5 year period it would cost each team an extra $2M on and operating v. loan scenario.

Pretty wise business to supply some backing, IF IT IS NEEDED, instead of a guaranteed payout.

[troutman]

Closed Glendale council-NHL meetings raise concern


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

The dearth of public discussion comes despite a council-set deadline in three weeks to have the matter settled. It’s unclear when residents will hear details and get to offer opinions on an arena deal that is expected to cost the city millions of dollars a year.

The council members met privately with the hockey executives on May 28. They convened in groups of one, two and three during a series of back-to-back meetings.

The limited attendance of elected officials during the serial briefings was important.

If four of the seven council members had attended the same meeting, the Open Meeting Law would have required the meeting to be conducted in public.

Instead, the hockey executives repeated their presentation four times throughout the morning. All four meetings were private.

There’s reason to suspect that the council purposefully circumvented the law, depriving the public of its right to listen to deliberations, said David Bodney, a First Amendment attorney who represents The Arizona Republic.

“If meetings were scheduled to discuss essentially the same thing or things sequentially to avoid the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, then there would be a violation of statute,” Bodney said.

Glendale interim City Attorney Nick DiPiazza said there was no intent to circumvent the law, because the private get-togethers were not actual meetings.


Does the Glendale City Council need to be more open about the Phoenix Coyotes/ arena situation?
Yes. The public absolutely has a right to know more. 75.23% (167 votes)

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Why don't we have a poll for an accurate assessment of what other posters think of your approach. It won't be flattering.

"Each and every member of the BoG is not going to be polled, or even updated, on every development re: Phoenix".

In fact that's my argument, they aren't being consulted and when did I ever suggest that Bettman and the NHL would operate in any other manner. You really are a piece of work and not a very smart one at that.

You continuously twist information to suit the conclusions you've already drawn when it comes to anything regarding Bettman. Your fixation is simply bizarre.

Bettman operates at the behest of the BoG. That doesn't mean he has every decision vetted. It's a pretty standard way of operating a large company.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Closed Glendale council-NHL meetings raise concern


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

The dearth of public discussion comes despite a council-set deadline in three weeks to have the matter settled. It’s unclear when residents will hear details and get to offer opinions on an arena deal that is expected to cost the city millions of dollars a year.

The council members met privately with the hockey executives on May 28. They convened in groups of one, two and three during a series of back-to-back meetings.

The limited attendance of elected officials during the serial briefings was important.
If four of the seven council members had attended the same meeting, the Open Meeting Law would have required the meeting to be conducted in public.

Instead, the hockey executives repeated their presentation four times throughout the morning. All four meetings were private.

There’s reason to suspect that the council purposefully circumvented the law, depriving the public of its right to listen to deliberations, said David Bodney, a First Amendment attorney who represents The Arizona Republic.

“If meetings were scheduled to discuss essentially the same thing or things sequentially to avoid the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, then there would be a violation of statute,” Bodney said.

Glendale interim City Attorney Nick DiPiazza said there was no intent to circumvent the law, because the private get-togethers were not actual meetings.


Does the Glendale City Council need to be more open about the Phoenix Coyotes/ arena situation?
Yes. The public absolutely has a right to know more. 75.23% (167 votes)

That's amazing

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

NHL wants certainty soon in RSE's talks with Glendale
http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/nhl/...07&feedID=3702

While sources maintain that the NHL is pressuring Renaissance Sports and Entertainment to strike a deal this week (at least in principle) with the City of Glendale on a lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena, Glendale councilmember Gary Sherwood received mitigating information over the weekend.

Sherwood spoke to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Sunday, and Daly assured him that there is “no deadline, per se.” Daly told Sherwood that if the city and RSE appear to be headed toward an agreement, the NHL would be amenable to the Glendale City Council voting on it in July rather than on June 25, when the council next convenes.

That somewhat contradicts what sources have said the league is telling RSE. Under that scenario, the city and RSE -- the ownership group of George Gosbee, Anthony LeBlanc, Daryl Jones and Avik Dey -- would need to have a deal ready by June 17 so that it could be presented at the Glendale City Council Executive Session on June 18 and then voted upon at the council meeting one week later.

No matter what you’ve heard about the possibility of the Coyotes playing one more season in Glendale under NHL stewardship, rest assured that will not happen. The Coyotes will not be in Glendale next season without a lease agreement with the City of Glendale and a consummated sale of the team.

Sherwood confirmed that one of RSE's principles, Anthony LeBlanc, delivered a number of proposals and "interesting ideas" for managing Jobing.com Arena on paper to Glendale acting city manager Dick Bowers on June 7. Bowers is reviewing those.

Bowers and other representatives from the city were also scheduled to meet with representatives of Beacon Sports Capital Partners on Monday to review the four bids Beacon received recently to manage the arena. It is still unknown who submitted those four bids.

Interesting. The NHL is either very confident that things will workout with this group, or very confident that they can pull off a last minute move if it falls apart.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by valo403

You continuously twist information to suit the conclusions you've already drawn when it comes to anything regarding Bettman. Your fixation is simply bizarre.

Bettman operates at the behest of the BoG. That doesn't mean he has every decision vetted. It's a pretty standard way of operating a large company.

The only thing bizarre is you trying to pick an argument with anything I say.

[You Need a Thneed]

Or they are still preparing for either scenario going into next year. If another city was going to be a "backup plan," preparations would have to be being made to that end.

The NHL very well might have a "agreement" with a city saying that we'll get you a team, whether by relocation, or by expansion - be ready for it. Relocation could happen sooner than expansion.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by troutman

Glendale interim City Attorney Nick DiPiazza said there was no intent to circumvent the law, because the private get-togethers were not actual meetings.

This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George was being courted by the Mets to head up their scouting department while still employed by the Yankees:

Jerry: So, how was the meeting?
George: There was no meeting, but it was quite a meeting.

[troutman]

Glendale interim City Attorney Nick DiPiazza said there was no intent to circumvent the law, because the private get-togethers were not actual meetings.

“There was no meeting conducted. If there were a meeting, there would have to be an agenda, there would have to be a quorum. And there was no meeting,” he said.

DiPiazza believes that the gatherings scheduled four days in advance were merely occasions for polite introductions, he said.

“When you speak of a meeting, it sounds like something official. It sounds like something is agendized. It sounds like something which is intended for the conduct of business, and I don’t think that’s what was intended here,” DiPiazza said.


If these were just "polite introductions" why not do them all at once? #meetingnotameeting

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Glendale interim City Attorney Nick DiPiazza said there was no intent to circumvent the law, because the private get-togethers were not actual meetings.

“There was no meeting conducted. If there were a meeting, there would have to be an agenda, there would have to be a quorum. And there was no meeting,” he said.

DiPiazza believes that the gatherings scheduled four days in advance were merely occasions for polite introductions, he said.

“When you speak of a meeting, it sounds like something official. It sounds like something is agendized. It sounds like something which is intended for the conduct of business, and I don’t think that’s what was intended here,” DiPiazza said.


If these were just "polite introductions" why not do them all at once? #meetingnotameeting

He's obviously just tip toeing around the legal definitions, but it's done in such a way that it just screams evasion. I really feel bad for Glendale, it's like they modelled their local government after a sitcom.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Or they are still preparing for either scenario going into next year. If another city was going to be a "backup plan," preparations would have to be being made to that end.

The NHL very well might have a "agreement" with a city saying that we'll get you a team, whether by relocation, or by expansion - be ready for it. Relocation could happen sooner than expansion.

Yeah, they'd just be leaving it very late if they let this run into July. That wouldn't leave much time to get things rolling in a new market unless the process was well underway ahead of time, which is something that would be hard to keep quiet.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

So again, what's your conclusion?

Try answering the question instead of your usual personal attack.

My conclusion remains the same as I've told you numerous times: It is foolish to believe that several dozen very, very rich men would allow another man to toy with a couple hundred million dollars of their money to satisfy his own ego. The Coyotes remain in Phoenix as long as the BOG believes the market is viable. It quite possible that Bettman has convinced them that this is the case, but he doesn't get to play with their money without their approval.

It is highly likely that their, and Bettman's, opinion of viability depends directly on whatever concessions the City of Glendale make in a lease. It is also highly likely that this thing resolves one way or another fairly soon.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

My conclusion remains the same as I've told you numerous times: It is foolish to believe that several dozen very, very rich men would allow another man to toy with a couple hundred million dollars of their money to satisfy his own ego. The Coyotes remain in Phoenix as long as the BOG believes the market is viable. It quite possible that Bettman has convinced them that this is the case, but he doesn't get to play with their money without their approval.

It is highly likely that their, and Bettman's, opinion of viability depends directly on whatever concessions the City of Glendale make in a lease. It is also highly likely that this thing resolves one way or another fairly soon.

Judging by how long this has dragged out (4yrs), he has convinced them and has got their approval (including a $85M loan). Like I said it's Bettman's baby. In case you don't know the NHL has approved the deal, it now needs the CoG to make a deal.

I have no faith that it is resolved fairly soon. It seems the latest dead line is no longer a deadline. How many deadlines is this in the last 4 years?

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It is also highly likely that this thing resolves one way or another fairly soon.

So is that next Monday, or another 48 Monday's from now?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Judging by how long this has dragged out (4yrs), he has convinced them and has got their approval (including a $85M loan). Like I said it's Bettman's baby. In case you don't know the NHL has approved the deal, it now needs the CoG to make a deal.

I have no faith that it is resolved fairly soon. It seems the latest dead line is no longer a deadline. How many deadlines is this in the last 4 years?

I don't think there's ever been a deadline on the overall fate of a team in Phoenix, there have been plenty of deadlines on individual deals though, and we've seen those deals die when the deadlines could not be met.

I don't understand your fixation on this $85mil loan. As pointed out above there's a very strong business case for making such a loan.

[calgARI]

Can the NHL just pull the plug on this thing already?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

So is that next Monday, or another 48 Monday's from now?

The "Coyotes announce deal on Monday" joke is about as refreshing and amusing as the "20 minutes to downtown from Airdrie" joke.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The "Coyotes announce deal on Monday" joke is about as refreshing and amusing as the "20 minutes to downtown from Airdrie" joke.

Fotze's mom loves these jokes.