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

[LAIslanderFan]

Well, the Olympic arena is getting built. Bank on it. But if the Utah team needs a place to play while Delta Center gets renovated, just across town on the I-215 loop is the Maverik Center. It has ice, it seats 10k, and has available dates. No need to play in Provo or repeat the sins of Alex Meruelo.

That's probably the answer. The Utah Legislature seems adamant that the NHL team has to play downtown. If they have to play at Delta and it gets renovated, I don't see the point of building an Olympic arena unless it a smaller along the lines of 5000-6000 seats and the Delta Center serves as the main Olympic hockey venue. I don't recall the Lake Placid Arena being very large.

 

[MisterPurple]

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.

Glendale didn't break the lease because Meruelo is a prick, they broke the lease because they didn't want the team staying there until they built another arena that would compete with their arena for event dates. This exact outcome is exactly what Glendale needed and wanted. They absolutely do not want him to win that auction and build another arena in the valley.

 

[Naych_PHX]

I'd be surprised if he even wants an arena. The writing's on the wall. The Scottsdale mayor and spoke and then was like, "Acutally, what I was trying to say..."

Just more real estate development. Student of Ellman. Or Burke. Or Moyes, or Ice Edge... or whoever the f*** was handling this over the years.

 

[Llewzaher]

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.

If he does get the arena built… he doesn’t need the board da approval to re activate.. so even if GB is retired .. that should be fine.. I am sure if another owner came along who the league liked better, they would make some amends

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.

Hey probably should have signed.. built the arena, broke the lease..

 

[RemoAZ]

Hey probably should have signed.. built the arena, broke the lease..

That's what I've always thought. Come to an agreement for 12, 15, whatever then use your lawyers to get out of it. It's not like he shies away from skipping out on obligations. I 100% believe it all goes back to ego. He gave them the finger and they called him on it. At that point if he'd have tried to make amends he would have had to swallow his pride and admit he was wrong. The guy wouldn't even pay the rent on time. No way he was going to reopen negotiations for a lease.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Well, the Olympic arena is getting built. Bank on it. But if the Utah team needs a place to play while Delta Center gets renovated, just across town on the I-215 loop is the Maverik Center. It has ice, it seats 10k, and has available dates. No need to play in Provo or repeat the sins of Alex Meruelo.

I saw an ECHL game there a few years ago and, well, it's okay I guess...although one can already imagine the complaining that's coming, whether they play in the obstructed view Delta Center or the smallish Maverik Center.... but it least it won't be us they're complaining about. ("MOVE UTAH TO HOUSTON!")

One thing I didn't realize when I went to that ECHL game, is that that was the primary hockey facility for the Olympics, not the Delta Center, which of course housed the figure skating.

 

[Jakey53]

It's a little confusing, but the Salt Lake Tribune seems to be claiming that the Jazz and NHL team have to be downtown. It appears they would be prohibited from playing in a building south of Salt Lake where Smith intended to build the arena.
From the article:
But Smith said legislative leaders intervened to keep the Jazz and NHL team downtown.

Renovating an arena to that degree would probably require closing it for a year or more.
The video uses the Seattle arena as an example of what might have to be done.

I wonder if they can play at the BYU, Peaks Arena until the renovation is complete? I think it seats around 2300.

Smith said the renovations would be done over several years, but not closing to disrupt the NBA or NHL season.

 

[DustyDangler]

It's a little confusing, but the Salt Lake Tribune seems to be claiming that the Jazz and NHL team have to be downtown. It appears they would be prohibited from playing in a building south of Salt Lake where Smith intended to build the arena.
From the article:
But Smith said legislative leaders intervened to keep the Jazz and NHL team downtown.

Renovating an arena to that degree would probably require closing it for a year or more.
The video uses the Seattle arena as an example of what might have to be done.

I wonder if they can play at the BYU, Peaks Arena until the renovation is complete? I think it seats around 2300.

The Maverik Center capacity is 12,000 so I would expect that would be the first choice for a temporary building.

 

[DustyDangler]

Any thought of actually going to a game in person. This is probably the last time to see Doan and Gunther in person (in person is such an odd phrase when you give it some thought) play in AZ.

Would love to but would cost me a few hundred dollars in travel, lodging etc.

 

[rt]

They seem to want to overhaul the Delta Center on the fly over several years to improve the experience for both hockey and basketball. They seem to also be putting a huge emphasis on revamping the area surrounding the arena and the approach to the arena within the downtown area. They’re inspired by LA Live.

 

[Mosby]

Why go to Maverick when its total seats is the same as Delta’s total unobstructed, plus a few thousand more?

 

[TheLegend]

That's what I've always thought. Come to an agreement for 12, 15, whatever then use your lawyers to get out of it. It's not like he shies away from skipping out on obligations. I 100% believe it all goes back to ego. He gave them the finger and they called him on it. At that point if he'd have tried to make amends he would have had to swallow his pride and admit he was wrong. The guy wouldn't even pay the rent on time. No way he was going to reopen negotiations for a lease.

There’s a reason why Florida is playing where they are instead of building another arena in a better location.

The lease has a massive breakup clause in it that makes it financially un-feasable. We’re talking 8-figure territory here.

You could be assured that 12 year (or longer) lease Glendale wanted would have contained something similar.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Why go to Maverick when its total seats is the same as Delta’s total unobstructed, plus a few thousand more?

Maverik would only be necessary if Delta Center was unavailable during renovations. I don't think they're going to necessarily need it.

 

[Mosby]

I’m listening to this Utah podcast and they’re talking about how the team has this great defenceman named Shea Weber. Uhhhhhh Who wants to tell them?

 

[Coyotedroppings]

There’s a reason why Florida is playing where they are instead of building another arena in a better location.

The lease has a massive breakup clause in it that makes it financially un-feasable. We’re talking 8-figure territory here.

You could be assured that 12 year (or longer) lease Glendale wanted would have contained something similar.

Yeah, I’m not sure (not knowing the amount of Mullett loses) if the annual lease costs at Glendale wouldn’t be worse (economically) for AM. He would have needed to ride out the term, but he’d still have the team.

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

Hopefully Utah’s plans to get a new arena fall apart plunging the franchise into more endless instability and uncertainty and heartbreak

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Hopefully Utah’s plans to get a new arena fall apart plunging the franchise into more endless instability and uncertainty and heartbreak

And a timely return to the valley with all our people in tact!

 

[AZDesertKnight]

Utah was an odd choice. But the Mormon mafia is wealthy and powerful.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Utah was an odd choice. But the Mormon mafia is wealthy and powerful.

Seems we've covered this before, but yeah. And they're diverse, too. They have an enormous cattle ranch in Florida of all places, through which I drove daily for about 18 months to work at the Kennedy Space Center when I lived near Orlando Intl Airport in the 90s. (if you've been, it's the same highway that goes to Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, alongside now which runs Brightline, the high speed rail from MCO to Miami)

Deseret Ranch - the Land

Map showing Deseret Ranch properties (click to enlarge) [Map by Teresanne Cossetta Russell] Deseret Ranch Age: 60 years Size: 295,000 acres, 250 square miles Location: About 180,000 acres in Osceola County, 70,000 acres in Orange County and 45,000 acres in Brevard County Activity: One of the...

www.floridatrend.com

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

How did this guy become chairman of the NHL? Who votes for him?

Literally checks all the boxes of a horrible executive..... poor performance, condescending asshole, takes no responsibility and deflects blame, etc. Not that it matters but he even looks "slick" and untrustworthy.

Unfortunately, until this guy is run out of town, we will not be getting any respectable owners in the NHL. Can you even picture someone like Mark Cuban cow towing to this guy? Of course not.

LOL. "Chairman."

If it wasn't for Uncle Gary, the Coyotes would've been a memory a long time ago.

 

[Bondurant]

And a timely return to the valley with all our people in tact!

The meltdown in True North media would be off the hook if this happened. This is the best outcome.

LOL. "Chairman."

If it wasn't for Uncle Gary, the Coyotes would've been a memory a long time ago.

Not to mention the financial growth of the NHL during his tenure. Some people just don't understand how this works. They're also usually the people that don't understand he does what the owners want.

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

Utah's new NHL team left a Phoenix suburb millions in debt

https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2024/04/22/utah-nhl-coyotes-glendale-public-funds-arena

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

Good lord. Go to the beach for a few days and come back to talk of hope for an arena with a f***ing roller coaster wrapped around it.

AM and AM Jr. couldn't manage a lemonade stand in Phoenix. AM would have the sign facing away from the street and Junior would stand there confused as to why the lemons didn't fit in a bottle when he tried to push them in. But sure, he's gonna somehow find the money for the entire project plus the billion for the team. Holy shit on a shingle.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

And a timely return to the valley with all our people in tact!

Come on. You know that this team is gone forever. Tossing out all my Coyotes T shirts and hand towels that I collected over the years felt like tossing out photos after a divorce.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Seems we've covered this before, but yeah. And they're diverse, too. They have an enormous cattle ranch in Florida of all places, through which I drove daily for about 18 months to work at the Kennedy Space Center when I lived near Orlando Intl Airport in the 90s. (if you've been, it's the same highway that goes to Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, alongside now which runs Brightline, the high speed rail from MCO to Miami)

Deseret Ranch - the Land

Map showing Deseret Ranch properties (click to enlarge) [Map by Teresanne Cossetta Russell] Deseret Ranch Age: 60 years Size: 295,000 acres, 250 square miles Location: About 180,000 acres in Osceola County, 70,000 acres in Orange County and 45,000 acres in Brevard County Activity: One of the...

www.floridatrend.com

Had an Arizona friend that was married to a Morman gal that went to work that ranch. He hated it and eventually came to work for me, of course I'm I was a hard ass and that didn't work out too long either!

Come on. You know that this team is gone forever. Tossing out all my Coyotes T shirts and hand towels that I collected over the years felt like tossing out photos after a divorce.

If I tossed out all my Coyote freebee clothes, I'd be walking around nekit!