Confirmed with Link: All-Purpose Coyotes Arena Talk: [Update] Land Auction Cancelled, Meruelo waiving ownership rights.

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

How is anyone surprised that Meruelo f---ed this up?

Once he got his billion, I knew he wasn't going to build. The legal posturing is comical. He's not gonna do jack shit.

He's going to take that money and put it towards his casino in Reno.

 

[Bondurant]

It's all political corruption. They didn't grease enough wheels or line enough coffers. Bring back the tar & feathers.

 

[HowlofRevel]

I wonder what changed. Obviously at some point the AZ Land Department thought the land was zoned appropriately for the development proposal, and now they don't think it is zoned appropriately. It struck me as odd when the City of Phoenix told Craig that the city will only provide zoning interpretation when the land is owned by Meruelo, not before. That seems to be at odds with the requirements that bidders for State Land Trust auctions have a development plan that complies with local zoning and permitting regulations. Something seems amiss with the City of Phoenix.

That said, I hope Meruelo takes this opportunity to back out. He can play the victim now, which fits his narcissism. His group obviously lacks the competence, funding, and ability to build relationships needed to own a professional sports franchise and build a multi-billion dollar complex. He does nothing but alienate the people who he needs on his side to get things done.

I doubt any other group will come forward wanting an NHL franchise in Phoenix any year soon, but the sooner Meruelo is out the way, the sooner that can be a possibility.

 

[TheLegend]

He's going to take that money and put it towards his casino in Reno.

Nothing has moved up there yet, has it??

 

[Dead Coyote]

Saw the news and cackled out loud. What a convenient and hilariously Coyotes way for things to end for Meruelo. I wouldn't be shocked if he tries again, but I also wouldn't be shocked if this means the NHL or PHNX have pulled the rug out from under him again and tell him to f*** off.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Craig also said today that the eventual goal was for the Meruelo kids to take on bigger roles. XG was only a bridge. The eventual CEO was to be AM Jr. Holy hell.

Get me out of this f***ing nightmare

 

[Edenjung]

 

[Bonsai Tree]

I think Phoenix and Glendale screwed Meruelo and the NHL takes Phoenix off its expansion list.

 

[Edenjung]

Somebody on reddit explained what is needed in the process for a special permit.


It could take long. And it needs public hearings of residents that might be affected (somebody say scottsdale?).
With this the project is dead in the water.

 

[Ciao]

It would take a sophisticated developer who has ample financial resource and knows what they're doing to complete this type of project.

I surmise that the board of trustees doesn't want the land to stagnate in the hands of an incompetent land speculator. If they sell it, they might want to know that it will be put to a useful purpose.

If so, I think their concerns are well founded.

 

[Jakey53]

Of course not for a billion. That's why he forced a relocation sale. That is what got him a huge ROI. If he would have sold to someone in state, it would have been for much less.

The NHL wants $1B for an expansion franchise, maybe more. AM didn't force a sale the NHL talked him into it. Taxpayers will be on the hook for much more if a NHL is to return to the Valley. Hate AM all you want, but the State will be reaching into your pockets on the next deal.

There were reports that there were people that wanted to buy the team to keep it here but he didn't want to sell. I believe this was simply to force a relocation sale which would net him the most money for the franchise. This whole buying land garbage, if true would have been for him just to make money on the land if he won. I doubt he even planned to build an arena on it.

"I was told" from a friend of a friend, of a friend. Just like there were three or four group to bid on the land where in reality there were none.

 

[Edenjung]

The thing is that I can also understand a potential developer (not AM but in general). You have to get a permit for land you might not get. But you have to spend a lot of money on surveys, studies, basically provide them with the full plan of what you are building, how it looks and the impact of it.
That means you also need the city to provide you with data. You need hire people to do planning and basically the whole development before even owning the land.
Which means that if you don't get it in the end because somebody outbid you, you spent a lot of money, time and resources on nothing. Sounds like a bad deal to me.


Of course in this case, it could have been avoided by just getting the permit 6 months ago and working together with the right people, but they did not. And now they would have to do all this and might not even get the land.
And even if they would start the process, it would take months and push the project back even further, while still having to win the auction.
It does not really make sense (to me). Eighter you can buy the land and then get the rezoning done. Or they make it necessary for you to get the rezoning done before, but you can get the land without an auction. Because this way it would not incline me to even bid on the land.

Overall this sounds like a beaucracy and incomeptence problem. One was to dumb to get a zoning lawyer. And the other are to stuck up to demand a permit from the start. In addition I doubt the state knew about the specific zoning. Which means that communication is non existent. And that only shows that the problem is the process and the people involved on each site.

 

[Jakey53]

I think Phoenix and Glendale screwed Meruelo and the NHL takes Phoenix off its expansion list.

Money talks. IF someone puts down a $1B or more for a franchise and plans to build an arena on the taxpayers dime there will be a team back in the Valley. There won't be a team back until there will be promised tax abatements.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

You know, all this makes a lot more sense when you realize that Meruelo has never actually built anything on his own. It's always been acquisition and renovation, except for the bank he co-founded.

This project, then, is as blatant an example of the Peter Principle that you could conceive.

 

[Jakey53]

The thing is that I can also understand a potential developer (not AM but in general). You have to get a permit for land you might not get. But you have to spend a lot of money on surveys, studies, basically provide them with the full plan of what you are building, how it looks and the impact of it.
That means you also need the city to provide you with data. You need hire people to do planning and basically the whole development before even owning the land.
Which means that if you don't get it in the end because somebody outbid you, you spent a lot of money, time and resources on nothing. Sounds like a bad deal to me.


Of course in this case, it could have been avoided by just getting the permit 6 months ago and working together with the right people, but they did not. And now they would have to do all this and might not even get the land.
And even if they would start the process, it would take months and push the project back even further, while still having to win the auction.
It does not really make sense (to me). Eighter you can buy the land and then get the rezoning done. Or they make it necessary for you to get the rezoning done before, but you can get the land without an auction. Because this way it would not incline me to even bid on the land.

Overall this sounds like a beaucracy and incomeptence problem. One was to dumb to get a zoning lawyer. And the other are to stuck up to demand a permit from the start. In addition I doubt the state knew about the specific zoning. Which means that communication is non existent. And that only shows that the problem is the process and the people involved on each site.

I'm not a lawyer but how I read it is the Council asks for the permit and the Commission decides to give one or not. Still don't see how anyone can apply for a permit without owning the land. The auction package I would think outlined what was needed to bid, and the risks and cost of not winning the bid. This is just typical for Arizona. We have and still see it with the Diamondbacks, COG and now COP. We have a bunch of dummies in office that don't have two nickels to rub together all trying to make a name for themselves.

It would take a sophisticated developer who has ample financial resource and knows what they're doing to complete this type of project.

I surmise that the board of trustees doesn't want the land to stagnate in the hands of an incompetent land speculator. If they sell it, they might want to know that it will be put to a useful purpose.

If so, I think their concerns are well founded.

Everyone knew what was going to be built there if AM won the bid.

 

[Jakey53]

You know, all this makes a lot more sense when you realize that Meruelo has never actually built anything on his own. It's always been acquisition and renovation, except for the bank he co-founded.

This project, then, is as blatant an example of the Peter Principle that you could conceive.

Whatever, I doubt AM continues with this land acquisition. The next arena deal will require BIG tax relief to attract any new developer. In other words, most of you guys got your wish without realizing we don't have a NHL hockey team or a developer in the weeds to build an arena.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Meruelo should put up his arena on Talking Stick property. Screw the state and cities back out of tax revenue.

 

[Jakey53]

Somebody on reddit explained what is needed in the process for a special permit.


It could take long. And it needs public hearings of residents that might be affected (somebody say scottsdale?).
With this the project is dead in the water.

I believe AM had what the auction package specified. In that was a plan of what was going to be built.

 

[Edenjung]

@Bonsai Tree Wasn't there something about the NHL not wanting or even allowing tribes to be part of a ownership group? Because that would be needed to build there.

@Jakey53
I think the problem is that the auction is done by the state. And that the land is part of the city.
That creates major communication problems.
Because the city does not care about the state and vice versa. Therefore, they do not talk to each other. And I think AM thought that they would and that he would be fine just working with the state. That is also why he did not meet the major earlier.
Now somebody from the state has woken up and thought "Wait a minute, what about zoning?", called the city and the city told them whats up.
This is a perfect example of lack of communication on all fronts. The state should have asked AM (what they most likely did) and then asked the city if thats true.
And AM should have gotten people to check if his assumptions are right and talk to the city from the start. Best case would have been for him to become the person that the city and state talk through with each other.
And the City should have made it clear from the start that they would like to be involved and that they can provide information.

But nothing happened and we are were we are. My best bet is that a blame game will start and the project will never be put into action.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Meruelo should put up his arena on Talking Stick property. Screw the state and cities back out of tax revenue.

Man, if only...

 

[TheLegend]

Re: Zoning attorney.

As of early April, the Meruelo’s had one in Nick Wood. He’s quoted in this April 4th article in the AZ Republic saying the zoning was not a problem.

Arizona Coyotes 'fully committed' to winning June state land auction, building new arena

The president of the Arizona Coyotes says the team’s owner is “fully committed to being the winning bidder” for a roughly 100-acre rectangle in north Phoenix

www.azcentral.com

So who’s wrong here??


BTW…..

The reaction from elsewhere within COP to the Coyotes response on social media yesterday has been nasty.

This is going to go nowhere.

 

[Jakey53]

Re: Zoning attorney.

As of early April, the Meruelo’s had one in Nick Wood. He’s quoted in this April 4th article in the AZ Republic saying the zoning was not a problem.

Arizona Coyotes 'fully committed' to winning June state land auction, building new arena

The president of the Arizona Coyotes says the team’s owner is “fully committed to being the winning bidder” for a roughly 100-acre rectangle in north Phoenix

www.azcentral.com

So who’s wrong here??


BTW…..

The reaction from elsewhere within COP to the Coyotes response on social media yesterday has been nasty.

This is going to go nowhere.

Like I mentioned before, we have a brain dead Governor and COP Mayor. We have all seen this before, and will see it again. They don't have brain between them, yet they get elected. We got what we deserved.

 

[Jakey53]

It's all political corruption. They didn't grease enough wheels or line enough coffers. Bring back the tar & feathers.

Bettman has been dealing with Arizona politics for two plus decades and I think he knew there were going to be problems getting this arena built.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Our chances of a franchise now rank between a snowball’s chance in hell and a return of the Quebec Nordikes.

 

[Edenjung]

@Bonsai Tree Nordiques