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

[Coyotedroppings]

Anyone feel like countering this take? Because I think Laurie Roberts hit the nail square on the head.

Hold onto your wallet: Former Arizona Coyotes owner says a new team won't cost us anything

Opinion: Arizona Coyotes ex-owner Alex Meruelo says taxpayers won't be paying for his arena development to bring a team back to Arizona. Really?

www.azcentral.com

Nope, this exactly why I continually voice concern, should he be relying on said district.

Edit: I think Gary and the boys have the same concern. Well that and (based on comments at the SLC presser yesterday), the lack of a viable plan B.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Man, @rt puts a question out to the Universe and it answers back immediately... Everyone, let's get him to ask more!

Ask him to get this deal unwound on a technicality and the team back to Glendale!

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Nope, this exactly why I continually voice concern, should he be relying on said district.

Edit: I think Gary and the boys have the same concern. Well that and (based on comments at the SLC presser yesterday), the lack of a viable plan B.

The thing that bugs me about it too is the "oh by the way" nature of how this little tidbit got included in the plan. E.g., " We have this amazing plan for a wonderful landmark entertainment district, fully privately financed and 100% off the taxpayers shoulders. Oh by the way, we're going to need to have a special taxing district that will add nearly 10% worth of additional taxes and surcharges for everything that happens there. No big deal."

Again, a teaspoon of transparency would be worth a gallon of goodwill in the community. It boggles my mind that they can't see this.

 

[RemoAZ]

The thing that bugs me about it too is the "oh by the way" nature of how this little tidbit got included in the plan. E.g., " We have this amazing plan for a wonderful landmark entertainment district, fully privately financed and 100% off the taxpayers shoulders. Oh by the way, we're going to need to have a special taxing district that will add nearly 10% worth of additional taxes and surcharges for everything that happens there. No big deal."

Again, a teaspoon of transparency would be worth a gallon of goodwill in the community. It boggles my mind that they can't see this.

All part of the grift.

 

[TheLegend]

Anyone feel like countering this take? Because I think Laurie Roberts hit the nail square on the head.

Hold onto your wallet: Former Arizona Coyotes owner says a new team won't cost us anything

Opinion: Arizona Coyotes ex-owner Alex Meruelo says taxpayers won't be paying for his arena development to bring a team back to Arizona. Really?

www.azcentral.com

She’s always whining about ASU for the same thing.

 

[TheLegend]

The thing that bugs me about it too is the "oh by the way" nature of how this little tidbit got included in the plan. E.g., " We have this amazing plan for a wonderful landmark entertainment district, fully privately financed and 100% off the taxpayers shoulders. Oh by the way, we're going to need to have a special taxing district that will add nearly 10% worth of additional taxes and surcharges for everything that happens there. No big deal."

Again, a teaspoon of transparency would be worth a gallon of goodwill in the community. It boggles my mind that they can't see this.

Wanna know how an HOA works?

This is one on steroids.

 

[LittlePipes]

You know, I know the owners of Castles and Coasters... If Meruelo wanted a discussion with them, I could facilitate it.

But considering his lack of outreach skills, I am not going to hold my breath.

that place lives in my memory forever. My sons 1st roller coaster ride , “Desert Storm”. He cried on the way up and screamed “lets do it again!!” when we got off. Wonderful.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Wanna know how an HOA works?

This is one on steroids.

I know that, you know that... But why the F does Meruelo just drop it in with no explanation? This is how votes were lost in Tempe. If he was transparent about it, with an explanation of not only how it works according to the law, but also with precedents and case studies, then people wouldn't have fuel for hysteria.

This is community relations and communications 101. Meruelo seems incapable of understanding this.

 

[TheLegend]

I know that, you know that... But why the F does Meruelo just drop it in with no explanation? This is how votes were lost in Tempe. If he was transparent about it, with an explanation of not only how it works according to the law, but also with precedents and case studies, then people wouldn't have fuel for hysteria.

This is community relations and communications 101. Meruelo seems incapable of understanding this.

Kinda hard when they keep referring it as a “tax” rather then a “usage fee”

The word “tax” is like putting up red curtains in the windows of your china shop before the running of the bulls.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

The thing that bugs me about it too is the "oh by the way" nature of how this little tidbit got included in the plan. E.g., " We have this amazing plan for a wonderful landmark entertainment district, fully privately financed and 100% off the taxpayers shoulders. Oh by the way, we're going to need to have a special taxing district that will add nearly 10% worth of additional taxes and surcharges for everything that happens there. No big deal."

Again, a teaspoon of transparency would be worth a gallon of goodwill in the community. It boggles my mind that they can't see this.

Agreed.

Another two cents from is that I don’t think they (AM), should stand alone financially on infrastructure costs that will benefit city, state and future development. Nor is it fair that the patrons that visit the development pay for those same improvements.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

If I were Gary, I’d give the franchise to Gila River or the Talking Stick nations. No state or local taxes. Sticks it to the cities and the state.

 

[HowlofRevel]

If I were Gary, I’d give the franchise to Gila River or the Talking Stick nations. No state or local taxes. Sticks it to the cities and the state.

I believe the NHL bylaws have a prohibition on government ownership of teams. That includes tribal nations.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

I believe the NHL bylaws have a prohibition on government ownership of teams. That includes tribal nations.

Has that ever stopped Gary?

 

[rt]

XG acknowledged the theme park district in the PHNX QA like three weeks ago. He said they’d proceed with or without it.

I absolutely hate that the idea of surcharges at the district itself gets conflated with the government reaching into the pockets of hard working citizens and taking our money. This isn’t the same as an actual tax. Entertainment surcharging on a specific property NOT the same as taxing groceries and incomes.

 

[Foggy1097]

It’s gonna really hurt watching the Utah Nameless play their first playoff game next year.

A little. But will also be fun and exciting…maybe an excuse for a road trip.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

XG acknowledged the theme park district in the PHNX QA like three weeks ago. He said they’d proceed with or without it.

I absolutely hate that the idea of surcharges at the district itself gets conflated with the government reaching into the pockets of hard working citizens and taking our money. This isn’t the same as an actual tax. Entertainment surcharging on a specific property NOT the same as taxing groceries and incomes.

That's why the team... And now Meruelo himself... needed to get out ahead of this rather than proceed as if it's nobody's business. It's a layer of needless bull-necked stupidity and stubbornness that could end up sinking this whole thing in the long run.

 

[HowlofRevel]

XG acknowledged the theme park district in the PHNX QA like three weeks ago. He said they’d proceed with or without it.

Yeah, there was a whiplash rapid turn from the Meruelo group saying they are going to explore the theme park district idea but will proceed with or without it, to saying the theme park district is vital to the project. I bet the statements XG made weeks ago were an attempt to get the NHL to back off pressuring AM to sell by putting on a public show of confidence that the NE Phoenix development was going to happen. I also wonder if XG publicly claiming the theme park district was not required to proceed will bite them in the rear when they try and convince the City to approve it.

 

[rt]

That's why the team... And now Meruelo himself... needed to get out ahead of this rather than proceed as if it's nobody's business. It's a layer of needless bull-necked stupidity and stubbornness that could end up sinking this whole thing in the long run.

I think it already has. The team is in Utah and what’s left is a sham.

 

[RemoAZ]

Just think, because the ego maniac con man couldn't just be a professional and work with Glendale, we lost the team. That's it. The league was basically embarrassed their NHL team was playing in a college arena and they knew the rebuild was going to result in a pretty damn good team. Not one person can convince me that will all the money he had to pay to get ASU improved he couldn't have come to an agreement with Glendale. They keep throwing around 12 years, 20, whatever. How much did he pay ASU? Throw a few of those bucks at Glendale and they would have shut their traps about a long term lease. Nope. He gave them and us west siders the finger on day one and f***ed everybody. Just hearing that pos talk makes my skin crawl.

MSN

www.msn.com

Bettman was hopeful for an NHL-level arena for the Coyotes when they moved to Arizona in 2019. But he lost faith, as there was no imminent arena expected to be ready to accommodate the team. With the bidding date pushed, he said that it would've likely taken 4-5 more years.

"The prospect of playing playoff games or a Stanley Cup Final [at Mullett Arena] ... it just doesn't work." Gary Bettman said,

 

[Mosby]

Why not sign a long term lease with Glendale and then just break it when a new arena is ready?

 

[HowlofRevel]

Just think, because the ego maniac con man couldn't just be a professional and work with Glendale, we lost the team. That's it. The league was basically embarrassed their NHL team was playing in a college arena and they knew the rebuild was going to result in a pretty damn good team. Not one person can convince me that will all the money he had to pay to get ASU improved he couldn't have come to an agreement with Glendale. They keep throwing around 12 years, 20, whatever. How much did he pay ASU? Throw a few of those bucks at Glendale and they would have shut their traps about a long term lease. Nope. He gave them and us west siders the finger on day one and f***ed everybody. Just hearing that pos talk makes my skin crawl.

The NHL was done with Glendale after Glendale cancelled the IceArizona lease in 2015. There were not going to be any long term leases with Glendale after that. The league made it clear that owners of the team were going to need to work towards a different long term solution.

 

[RemoAZ]

The NHL was done with Glendale after Glendale cancelled the IceArizona lease in 2015. There were not going to be any long term leases with Glendale after that. The league made it clear that owners of the team were going to need to work towards a different long term solution.

Not the point at all. Moving to a college arena before there was a new building is what lost us the team. He needed to stay in Glendale until he had a new arena. Being a professional businessman instead of a prick could have easily got that accomplished.

 

[HowlofRevel]

Not the point at all. Moving to a college arena before there was a new building is what lost us the team. He needed to stay in Glendale until he had a new arena. Being a professional businessman instead of a prick could have easily got that accomplished.

The Glendale City Manager wanted a 15-20 year lease, but it had to be a minimum of 12, to make the improvements that the City wanted to make to the arena worth it. They were not going to offer anything shorter than 12 years. That was a non-starter for the Coyotes.

If Mullett Arena did not exist, the team would have relocated 2 years ago. The team was lost anyways.

 

[Mosby]

I think a lot of the future pieces of the deal could be removed or revised, like making AM hold on to the team even in the event the arena is built.

Remember, supposedly AM wasn’t allowed to relocate the team for 7 years after his initial acquisition and the NHL threw that out the window in this case.

Another wrinkle is that in five years time the NHL will also have a new commissioner.

 

[rt]

I think a lot of the future pieces of the deal could be removed or revised, like making AM hold on to the team even in the event the arena is built.

Remember, supposedly AM wasn’t allowed to relocate the team for 7 years after his initial acquisition and the NHL threw that out the window in this case.

Another wrinkle is that in five years time the NHL will also have a new commissioner.

At this point I’m hoping Utah has lots of success and we get a well-run, successful, fun to watch AHL affiliate of theirs playing at Mullett for the long term. One that helps keep youth hockey afloat and the various valley rinks in operation. I think that’s the most I can hope for. And feels like the best case mitigation of the disaster this relocation is for valley hockey.