Ongoing Arizona Coyotes arena saga: Arena land auction June 27

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I don't think they have enough time to get a team name, logo, jersey etc ready to go for the start of the season.

Most likely they do what the Commanders did in the NFL and just use Utah Hockey Club or something for the season while they organize the rest.

The Devils, Avalanche, Hurricanes, and Jets 2.0 were all able to get their new branding done over the summer in time to start play in the fall after their sales were finalized in May. The Coyotes had a longer lead time. The Flames and Stars kept the same uniform designs after they moved, but did change logos (in Dallas's case, they just added a shoulder patch).

If the sale/move is announced before June, they should have plenty of time. I'm sure Smith has already been working behind the scenes on branding concepts.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Smith and the SLC group likely already have a team name, colour scheme and logo ready to roll out. Any "Name the Team" contest would just be a marketing tool to engage local residents. This isn't a seat-of-the-pants move. I imagine the corporate sponsors of the Jazz would also be tapped.

[dissentowner]

I am just glad this circus show is finally coming to an end.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Was certain this was going to happen. Let the politicking begin. This will be the first shot of probably many to come. I would expect Paradise Valley to chime in as well. The land is technically in Phoenix and by rights Scottsdale should have little say, but the municipalities in Phoenix have to work cooperatively to get things like this done. In an election year this is the type of stuff candidates want to distance themselves from and let the community groups attack away. I expect more of this.

I don't know which part was more damning. The mayor calling it a "fantasy hockey" project or this quote:

"The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy Arizona State Trust Land with absolutely no infrastructure on the Phoenix side of the 101/Scottsdale Road intersection at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome."


You think they would have learned from the Tempe/Phoenix lawsuit debacle. But it is painfully clear that they do not have the sophistication nor the business acumen for a real estate development of this magnitude. They have built absolutely no community support for themselves over the last few years and have only managed to succeed in gaslighting local hockey fans who have no choice but to have faith.

The NHL badly wanted this franchise to succeed in Phoenix but you can tell that dream is gone. Put Phoenix on the expansion wait list once a different owner comes into play.

[Reggie Dunlop]

The easy way would be to right some past wrongs and return the Coyotes to Winnipeg, the Jets 2.0 to Atlanta and award Houston an expansion team.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

The easy way would be to right some past wrongs and return the Coyotes to Winnipeg, the Jets 2.0 to Atlanta and award Houston an expansion team.

I'm sure the Atlanta group would be happy to get the Jets' roster for their expansion fee, but what did Winnipeg ever do to deserve the Coyotes?

[dissentowner]

Waiting for Jordan! to come tell us how they are still staying.

[Lanny_McDonald]

You have to give Jordan! and Scorp some slack here. They're both fans and for many being a fan means looking past the obvious and seeing only what you want or hope to see. The whole Coyotes debacle has been tough for those who are even slightly invested in the team. It's tough to see a team you like go on and struggle, and even worse when it appears the end is nigh. Denial seeps into our fandom for all the teams we cheer for from time to time. Why would this be any different?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by getbak

I see. There are a lot of lawyers on CP and I believe that Reg and I might need some Representation.

Any takers?

[bluejays]

I don’t know anything about the mayor of the city but it’s kinda rare for a politician to blatantly say it as it is, especially when it’s a businessman who would potentially spend money in driving your economy. So immediately my mind goes to, it’s clear the mayor has zero respect for the owner and I’d go so far to say he doesn’t trust him. I think what happens here is the team moves, Bettman tries to screw over the owner for running the franchise terribly, it gets settled out of court, and in five or so years when there’s a new arena built with a new owner the league looks to come back there. It’s clear they have a city that they’ve built a fan base for, and it can support but it needs a breather and a new owner.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

You have to give Jordan! and Scorp some slack here. They're both fans and for many being a fan means looking past the obvious and seeing only what you want or hope to see. The whole Coyotes debacle has been tough for those who are even slightly invested in the team. It's tough to see a team you like go on and struggle, and even worse when it appears the end is nigh. Denial seeps into our fandom for all the teams we cheer for from time to time. Why would this be any different?

I certainly understand the fan angst, going back to when the Calgary franchise's future was uncertain (QC and Winnipeg having relocated to other cities).

Phoenix may again rise... Metaphorically speaking.

[Gugstanley]

Originally Posted by konradical

Salt Lake City Soakers

That is the Provo Soakers. Salt Lake City is normal

[TheScorpion]

Meruelo is clearly a charlatan and I've had no problem criticizing him for years, but I don't think the Scottsdale mayor saying this changes anything at all. He's a politician who doesn't want an arena to profit off his city without actually being located in his city.

If all it ends up being is a spat over utility line relocation, I'd imagine the end result would be the team extending them from 56th St. in Phoenix as the Scottsdale mayor says. But as Lanny said, there'll be more of this before June 27. I'd actually consider it news if it was the Phoenix mayor saying it, but this is really beyond Scottsdale's purview.

[Strange Brew]

So Scorp, why put any credence at all in what a “charlatan” says?

[TheScorpion]

Well, I'm just talking about what the Scottsdale and Phoenix mayors apparently discussed, according to the Scottsdale mayor's statement. They both agree that if the project goes forward, the utility lines must be extended from 56 St. in Phoenix. Meruelo claims to have money set aside for utility construction. I don't buy it, but if the auction does end in his favour, that'll be one of the things he'll have to live up to.

I have no intention of dissecting a corpse until it's actually dead. I'll look at the deal as it's presented with the assumption that it's possible until proven otherwise — with the caveat that Meruelo has a terrible track record, but also the knowledge that his proposal has made it this far past the AZ Land Board without meaningful opposition. (The Scottsdale mayor doesn't count).

I would be stunned if the auction process is interrupted, and I would be similarly stunned if Meruelo sells the team if he has the winning bid. That's the one and only path for the team to remain in AZ. There are many other far less successful outcomes — including a Baltimore Ravens-esque one in which the team moves but Meruelo retains control over all "Coyotes" assets.

[bluejays]

I dunno. When a politician makes it personal against a businessman, to me it's not posturing at all. It's extreme frustration and having it up to the neck with him. It really appears the mayor wants no further dealing with the guy, and for someone to pass up tax dollars when it could be his legacy project, it says a lot.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I dunno. When a politician makes it personal against a businessman, to me it's not posturing at all. It's extreme frustration and having it up to the neck with him. It really appears the mayor wants no further dealing with the guy, and for someone to pass up tax dollars when it could be his legacy project, it says a lot.

No ... the point is that he's not getting tax dollars. The project itself is in Phoenix; it's the mayor of Scottsdale who is opposing it. They're separate municipalities. Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Chandler, Glendale — all separate cities cohabitating inside one metro area. All with different mayors and city council.

Scottsdale doesn't stand to benefit from this at all and they haven't been closely involved in negotiations with the team, at least to my knowledge. That's why their mayor is opposed. Last time, Phoenix was opposed because the Coyotes were looking to build in Tempe.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I just want to see if I am understanding this correctly...

So basically the land being purchased is technically within Phoenix, but right up against a more developed area of Scottsdale. The infrastructure on the Phoenix side would have to be extended several miles if they were to service the development, which doesn't sound feasible on their end. The Coyotes owner was told by the City of Scottsdale that they do not have the sewer or water capacity to support a development like that, particularly one not even in their in their city. The Coyotes owner then goes ahead and presents a development plan that needs Scottsdale infrastructure to work, even though he was already told no.

Is that pretty much the gist of it?

Maybe he’s just not a good listener?

[TheScorpion]

The post put forward by FlamesAddiction is also incorrect — the Coyotes' proposal, and the AZ auction listing, includes this detailed letter from the City of Phoenix that lists exactly which utility extensions will be required involving Phoenix infrastructure, not Scottsdale:

https://land.az.gov/sites/default/fi...e%20Letter.pdf

[FlamesAddiction]

It's a little confusing then that the Scottsdale mayor is still drilling home the idea that they will not be allowed to draw services from his city. I suppose maybe he doesn't see extending the services several miles in Phoenix as economically or logistically feasible and is anticipating that Meruelo and Pheonix might try to push the issue.