Confirmed with Link: All-Purpose "Days of Our Meruelo" Talk

[Puckrobber]

Has anybody ever thought about if Meruelo wins the auction and gets his entertainment center & arena done, he might decide not to get a team? Then, since it's the only "hockey-centric" arena in Arizona, any future team would have to work with him to have a home to play in?

Just something I was thinking about.

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

Has anybody ever thought about if Meruelo wins the auction and gets his entertainment center & arena done, he might decide not to get a team? Then, since it's the only "hockey-centric" arena in Arizona, any future team would have to work with him to have a home to play in?

Just something I was thinking about.

Anything is possible, but the Coyotes were unable to survive on their own in Arizona without a secondary source of income (entertainment district) to make up for the team's shortcomings. That's what AM is building. I think the person that owns the team needs to at least own the arena too, or they just lose way too much money.

 

[Mosby]

Has anybody ever thought about if Meruelo wins the auction and gets his entertainment center & arena done, he might decide not to get a team? Then, since it's the only "hockey-centric" arena in Arizona, any future team would have to work with him to have a home to play in?

Just something I was thinking about.

This is a lot of work just to get some rent money.

 

[Mosby]

Was Desert Financal Stadium ever discussed as a temporary home? I know it’s 14,000 seat basketball arena, just curious if it would have been feasible to put an ice plant in there and cut down the seats to like 10k to fit a rink.

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

Has anybody ever thought about if Meruelo wins the auction and gets his entertainment center & arena done, he might decide not to get a team? Then, since it's the only "hockey-centric" arena in Arizona, any future team would have to work with him to have a home to play in?

Just something I was thinking about.

He's not building an arena without a team, and even if he gave up the right to be an owner, allowing someone else to do it, no one would want to be a tenant in his arena.

If there's still an auction, he'll be outbid, take his windfall, and go away.

 

[Dead Coyote]

One of the reasons you and others don't like AM is because you think he has lied, I think some said something along the lines of a snake oil salesman, and then when he answers a question truthfully you say he should have lied to the NHL. And you call me goofy.

How much Kool-aid do you have to be drinking to believe in AM and what he has said.

A week ago XG with AM said that nothing was going to happen til the auction and that AM was committed to building a privately funded arena and keeping the team in Arizona.

Do you think that's the truth Jakey? Is that what you think?

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Do, do they announce tomorrow , after the season or after the playoffs?

 

[RemoAZ]

 

[Llewzaher]

Do, do they announce tomorrow , after the season or after the playoffs?

I am wondering if they announce this week ...

We heard that the Yotes were going to SLC next week . I wonder if RS was planning something , it looks like it has been canceled until next week , but was originally Friday ..

Could be totally unrelated , and maybe has something to do with the JAZZ

 

[The Feckless Puck]

This is a lot of work just to get some rent money.

The entertainment district in this part of town would generate a huge amount of money even without an arena. Similar developments around the country generate net profits of over 10 million per annum, last I bothered to look.

It is eminently possible that Meruelo could give up on the team and arena altogether and just build everything else. He'd still come out ahead- except for the gambling license, which he'd lose, but in fairness he doesn't do anything with it anyway.

 

[TheLegend]

Was Desert Financal Stadium ever discussed as a temporary home? I know it’s 14,000 seat basketball arena, just curious if it would have been feasible to put an ice plant in there and cut down the seats to like 10k to fit a rink.

The building is 52 years old.

 

[Mosby]

Tyson Nash says he is interested in continuing his role with the team in SLC.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

I'm so sad. This f***in sucks.

I love this game so much. I want NHL hockey here. I have serious doubts that Meruelo can pull off his 5 year expansion task. But I legit pray he does.

 

[SniperHF]

Tyson Nash says he is interested in continuing his role with the team in SLC.

1 out of 32 TV color commentary jobs, heck yeah I'm sure he is interested.
Otherwise that's how you end up like Keilback after we unceremoniously dumped him, selling real-estate in Winnipeg.

 

[Mosby]

The building is 52 years old.

True but it’s functional isn’t it? Unlike that other saddle some arena.

 

[Bondurant]

Has anybody ever thought about if Meruelo wins the auction and gets his entertainment center & arena done, he might decide not to get a team? Then, since it's the only "hockey-centric" arena in Arizona, any future team would have to work with him to have a home to play in?

Just something I was thinking about.

Something I was kicking about today as I was slamming Monster's at work. Perhaps he can me a partner or venue owner making bank on NHL rent. We'll have to see what comes out about Meruelo in the coming weeks.

 

[Jakey53]

How much Kool-aid do you have to be drinking to believe in AM and what he has said.

A week ago XG with AM said that nothing was going to happen til the auction and that AM was committed to building a privately funded arena and keeping the team in Arizona.

Do you think that's the truth Jakey? Is that what you think?

Without sitting in the room all we can do is speculate, which you and others are good at, to what is going to happen. The presser in a couple of days should give us a better feel of what's ahead. I believe AM wants to still build the arena, but many believe he won't or can't and that could include the NHL. What I do know for sure is that losing the Coyotes will be devastating to anything hockey related in the valley, more than anyone of us realize.

 

[Jakey53]

The entertainment district in this part of town would generate a huge amount of money even without an arena. Similar developments around the country generate net profits of over 10 million per annum, last I bothered to look.

It is eminently possible that Meruelo could give up on the team and arena altogether and just build everything else. He'd still come out ahead- except for the gambling license, which he'd lose, but in fairness he doesn't do anything with it anyway.

Who knows what is going to happen, but I do know that if AM doesn't get the arena done most of us will be in diapers and drooling before Phoenix gets the NHL back.

 

[AZviaNJ]

D-Day is here

 

[Jakey53]

Why is it so hard to do business in Phoenix? SLC is getting $900 million of tax money to help build their new arena, Edmonton got over $200 million and Calgary $800 million. Any builder around Phoenix just whispers taxpayer and the Goldwater jackasses poke their heads in.

 

[Snarky Coyote]

Jakey, this metro area has a long history of anger at paying for rich men's stadiums; look at the anger when the county rammed through a sales tax for the baseball stadium. Laws were changed, and then with the football stadium they built it using some taxes that only hit out-of-towners, but people were still pissed off about it; again, laws were changed. We are at the point of scorched earth here, and unless something changes politically (amongst both parties - this isn't a D and R thing). Phoenix takes care of the Suns, although people complained about that, but at least their investment in downtown has benefited the area. Don't get me wrong, I think Goldwater is a pox on humanity, but it's way past that on arena funding here.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Why is it so hard to do business in Phoenix? SLC is getting $900 million of tax money to help build their new arena, Edmonton got over $200 million and Calgary $800 million. Any builder around Phoenix just whispers taxpayer and the Goldwater jackasses poke their heads in.

SLC's situation is very easy to explain. They are also a national outlier.

 

[Bondurant]

Why is it so hard to do business in Phoenix? SLC is getting $900 million of tax money to help build their new arena, Edmonton got over $200 million and Calgary $800 million. Any builder around Phoenix just whispers taxpayer and the Goldwater jackasses poke their heads in.

Oakland told the A's and Raiders to pound sand. Kansas City told the Chiefs and Royals to pound sand. As they should have. These guys can afford their own stadiums.

Tempe was a rare situation where the deal made more sense than most but Meruelo let the opposition drive the narrative.

 

[Llewzaher]

Oakland told the A's and Raiders to pound sand. Kansas City told the Chiefs and Royals to pound sand. As they should have. These guys can afford their own stadiums.

Tempe was a rare situation where the deal made more sense than most but Meruelo let the opposition drive the narrative

I agree , they got too cocky and thought it was a slam dunk .. they should have spent money brought in an expert in politics .. they waited way to long

 

[finkelsteinberg]

I agree , they got too cocky and thought it was a slam dunk .. they should have spent money brought in an expert in politics .. they waited way to long

I have insider info from the Tempe campaign because a very good friend was the one leading it (though after the loss I told them I was questioning our friendship). A few takeaways from convos I had with them:

They had an expert in politics. Maybe considered the leading political firm in AZ with Owens Harkey (OH - building on central, near Thomas). Someone there, Mike Noble, is highly followed for his in-state polling results. The polling they had was overwhelmingly positive.

Meruelo was too controlling essentially and cheap. He wanted to approve all checks cut, often times making the goal of what the check was needed for less effective. We aren't even necessarily talking about 7 figure checks. What I would qualify as pennies for a billionaire who is trying to lock in a very important deal. I guess it all adds up but this seemed to be the biggest fault.

His son is useless. Basically did nothing in the organization.

The person also told me after the Tempe vote they were definitely gone. They wouldn't state where. At the time I didn't think much of it but now I am wondering if SLC was in the works a long time ago.