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

[SR]

You have mostly been spot on and I respect your posts, until you screwed up on TTD deals that never happened. I hope you are right about this. Could the stars finally be aligning for the Coyote's? Number one was Doan being called up and his played surprising everyone, number two is winning the lottery, and number three is winning the auction. The Trifecta. Us long suffering Coyote fans need this.

Yeah I had to tuck my tail on that one. I also don’t want anyone to take it as fact because I just post what I hear. Now whether that comes to fruition is another thing. I don’t have the connects I used to have when it came to trading and FA stuff anymore. I’ve got one guy for that and he seems to know but doesn’t know fully.

I’ve always said it though I chirp whatever I hear. I can’t take responsibility on if it happens though, good or bad haha.

The arena deal I’ve got more of an inside on and I am confident on what I have posted in the past. I also can only say so much on a public forum. Believe it or not this forum is very very well known.

I’m still firm on Schmaltz being dealt after this season though.

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

I haven’t heard any names but have heard there is local interest but just backing AM’s vision and concept.

I believe the residential build and arena build is being formatted by AM and then the shops, restaurants and entertainment is being handled by others. All high end stuff.

TED failed because of politics. This is going to get down to money and I believe, like you're basically saying, they've got it. I always ignored the "does AM have enough money" comments because to think it's just AM and some bank loans is silly. Still nice to hear stuff that reinforces that.

Always appreciate the info you are comfortable sharing.

 

[Mosby]

I'm not sure I have seen this answered anywhere:

If they win the auction in late June, and then there is a 30-day period to close the sale, so late July, why is it that construction is not likely to begin until about 9 months later? What needs to happen first in those 9 months before construction can begin?

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

I don't want to listen to PHNX again today. Can anyone confirm that they said it would be 3 more seasons at Mullett IF everything goes smoothly?

 

[Mosby]

I don't want to listen to PHNX again today. Can anyone confirm that they said it would be 3 more seasons at Mullett IF everything goes smoothly?

Yes, play in the new arena for 2027-28.

 

[lanky]

I don't want to listen to PHNX again today. Can anyone confirm that they said it would be 3 more seasons at Mullett IF everything goes smoothly?

Confirmed.

2024-25
2025-26
2026-27

Move in fall 2027

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

I'm not sure I have seen this answered anywhere:

If they win the auction in late June, and then there is a 30-day period to close the sale, so late July, why is it that construction is not likely to begin until about 9 months later? What needs to happen first in those 9 months before construction can begin?

My understanding is the infrastructure would begin sooner and the actual arena itself would begin construction in Q2 of 2025. So basically up until then is figuring out roads, water, electricity, the works.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Exactly. So if you want 100 acres there, it as to wait and take the 2nd 100 acres and likely save a lot of coat as the Yotes will have pulled so much infrastructure into the area. Right?

I don’t know how this works. Lol

It's definitely an incentive that Meruelo/Miracle can pitch to anyone who enters the bidding process - yes, the cost per acre will be higher for a second auction because of the value-add that Meruelo's development will give the adjoining land, but the infrastructure work required for Miracle to get the entertainment district underway would be a saved cost (if Meruelo is generous enough to let the second buyer piggyback off of it).

TL;DR, I'm sure Meruelo has some quid pro quo stuff stashed away for June if he needs it.

This will be the nicest arena venue and entertainment district in the country, nothing will compare to it, that’s what I’m being told anyway. No cutting corners or going cheap on the whole thing

If it looks even 50% like the renderings, it's gonna make Footprint Center, DDA, and even Chase Field look like a bunch of Fisher-Price playthings in comparison. It's going to become a destination.

 

[DustyDangler]

XG’s QA on PHNX is incredible. They’ve finally dropped the BS and are finally keeping it simple and right to the point. I’m loving this new version of these guys. No convoluted shenanigans. No schemes. They’re straight up gonna buy this thing and pay for it themselves or they’re going to sell the team for relocation. That’s it. No plan B.

100%. They are making the right plays. "Sure as shit want to win" is finally seeing some light.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

My understanding is the infrastructure would begin sooner and the actual arena itself would begin construction in Q2 of 2025. So basically up until then is figuring out roads, water, electricity, the works.

Exactly. The permitting process alone's going to take weeks, if not months, even if they have all of the sewer/water/electrical grids mapped out along with the roads and etc.

 

[hbk]

What if Ryan Smith buys it just to bork us?

Or Ishbia to gain control of the process?

if he doesn't have a plan to actually develop the land then he won't be allowed to participate in the auction. You can't just show up with no documentation and be involved in the process. You have to actually have a project and if you did have a project odds are you would have already been speaking to the city on the parcel of land (which nobody has according to Craig's sources). This is not like your grade 7 book report where you could put something together to make it look like you read the book the night before.

 

[hbk]

I'm not sure I have seen this answered anywhere:

If they win the auction in late June, and then there is a 30-day period to close the sale, so late July, why is it that construction is not likely to begin until about 9 months later? What needs to happen first in those 9 months before construction can begin?

how long does it take to get the infrastructure (water, gas, etc.) to the site? There is usually some pre-work that goes into a site before you start erecting a structure.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

how long does it take to get the infrastructure (water, gas, etc.) to the site? There is usually some pre-work that goes into a site before you start erecting a structure.

It all depends on how willing the city is going to be to expedite matters with permits and zoning and all of the other bits and pieces of creating an infrastructure plan of this magnitude. I'd like to think that a project of this size and visibility would be enough to grease the skids a bit, but then again maybe Phoenix decides that they need to be exacting in their due diligence (and who would blame them, given the context?).

 

[MIGs Dog]

We all wonder what other potential bidders there can be when it’s clear to me who’s gonna be strolling in with their dolla bills to mess this whole thing up:

The changing Hands bookstore lady

Is Elon looking to build more gigafactories?

 

[TheLegend]

Thread...... start here....

https://x.com/ThePolitiKat/status/1776275168404582572

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

I feel like XG saying that and laying out the stakes is basically signalling to anyone out there, "If you want us here, stay out of our way. But if you want that land, you're going to have to pay waaaaaay out the ass for it, and be willing to endure being labeled the asshole that killed the Coyotes (and everything that comes with that)."

I like this play. Upfront. Honest. And setting a boundary. Now just go win the damn thing.

Outside of this forum, there won't be anything to endure nor would there be a label of 'asshole Coyotes killer' should that happen. If the Coyotes are killed, you can point to plenty of other things, namely a populace lethargic to their very existence here.

If this falls through and the arena doesn't get built and the team leaves, it's going to cause barely a ripple in the Valley. People will forget about the team almost immediately.

Unfortunately, the fallout will--I believe, anyway--have a huge impact on local youth hockey and the thought of that makes my stomach turn. But that's also a small part of the population. More power to Meruelo and Co. if they can pull this off, but I'm not holding my breath.

I hope they do, actually, so I can go back to paying $10 for uppers the second season in the new barn when the novelty has worn off and they're drawing 11k a game again.

 

[Sinurgy]

haha you can feel the frustration in XG's comments here, you just know he wants to say "Listen you dumb f***s, we're paying for it all! Did you hear that?! I repeat, we're paying for it all! We're not raising your f***ing taxes, we're not blocking a park or whatever idiotic bullshit you conjure up. WE'RE PAYING FOR IT ALL!!! What the hell more could you possibly want from us?!?! f***!!!!"

What do you want people to know about this pursuit?


Gutierrez: “It’s privately funded, we’re buying the land, we’re paying for all of the building. I want to be very clear so people understand. Alex is putting up the money to do this. He’s on the hook for it and that is not the case with any other building in the state of Arizona. That somehow got misconstrued even in Tempe. We were paying for it all.


“In this case, we’re buying the land at an auction. We’re building all the buildings. We’re maintaining all the buildings. We’re not asking for a single dollar from taxpayers to do any of those things. I think it’s very important for people to understand that.”

 

[Sinurgy]

I think we're going to win the auction, but I'm quite concerned with XG talking about relocation already. The optics on this by ownership is lacking confidence, especially on the day the auction date is declared. Strange.

I didn't take it that way, I just see a dude/group who is tired of playing the PR game and is trying to be as clear as possible. No mincing of words, just putting shit out on the table at this point. It's the kind of talk you get from people who firmly believe they're in the right, who feel they have the high road at this point. I think they're at that you can lead a horse to water stage right now where if AZ still refuses to drink, f*** it, they can and will peace out with a crystal clear conscious.

This will be the nicest arena venue and entertainment district in the country, nothing will compare to it, that’s what I’m being told anyway. No cutting corners or going cheap on the whole thing

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I didn't take it that way, I just see a dude/group who is tired of playing the PR game and is trying to be as clear as possible.

It's not like what he's saying isn't something we don't already know (how's THAT for grammar... a triple negative!). Everybody that has lived through this whole saga is well aware that the Hundred Acre Wood is the last gasp. If we don't win the auction, that's it - and, really, how could we blame anyone if the team moves after that? We've had so many reprieves since the bankruptcy that nobody could blame the league at all if this latest, last shot at the moon fell apart and they decided to euthanize the team at long last.

Personally, like others have said, I'm 100% fine with it coming down to a definitive fork in the road. I'm so damned tired of the uncertainty. No more kicking the can down the road. Either win the auction and build the best goddamned privately-funded destination entertainment district in the state's history, or lose it and put us out of our f***ing misery.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Confirmed.

2024-25
2025-26
2026-27

Move in fall 2027

Oh man, now I really, really wanna see a whiteout in Mullett before I have to start driving all the way to Desert Ridge....then again, hopefully by Oct-27 I won't be, um, working full time anymore (after 16 years I am starting to resemble my handle), so....

It's just so, so weird, the prospect of either getting (A) this glorious palace that we get to shove in the face of certain people *even if* the team itself still sucks....or (B) a generous serving of tumbleweeds and disappointment. With really nothing in between. Metaphor for life, I suppose.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I think what I'm most looking forward to, if they win the auction and this all comes to fruition, that now I can go and comment on other teams and taunt "well atleast my owner didn't need public funds to play in an arena".

 

[Summer Rose]

I think what I'm most looking forward to, if they win the auction and this all comes to fruition, that now I can go and comment on other teams and taunt "well atleast my owner didn't need public funds to play in an arena".

Calgary would be a fun one to say this to.

 

[moosemeister]

I think what I'm most looking forward to, if they win the auction and this all comes to fruition, that now I can go and comment on other teams and taunt "well atleast my owner didn't need public funds to play in an arena".

We can literally call other franchises poverty franchises.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

The draft party could be a fun one this year.

I had hope for an Ishbia or tribe plan if this fails but SLC is likely going to be it. Which shouldn't surprise anyone except for Jakey.
I think we're going to win the auction, but I'm quite concerned with XG talking about relocation already. The optics on this by ownership is lacking confidence, especially on the day the auction date is declared. Strange.

Yeah, doesn't show much resolve on their part imo. Would seem the Mesa location was a red herring only at this point.

I wouldn't be surprised if a deal has already been discussed/worked out with the SLC guys as their next move if they don't get the land. But I believe they want this to get done first and foremost.

And it wouldn't surprise me if they have no intention of purchasing this land.

Edit: I don't believe that, but I'm no longer surprised by anything regarding this.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I think what I'm most looking forward to, if they win the auction and this all comes to fruition, that now I can go and comment on other teams and taunt "well atleast my owner didn't need public funds to play in an arena".

I hate to say it because of my pals from the 'Peg who post here, but the most obvious target would be the Jets - considering that their (second-)smallest-in-class arena requires a boatload of ongoing subsidy money from the city just to keep the lights on, even with Chipman/TNSE being so flush with cash.

But honestly, I think the entirety of my Coyotes fandom has burned the desire for schadenfreude right out of me. All I'll want to do when the HAW gets built is invite fans from other markets to come out and see just how amazing this state-of-the-art place is and how unbelievable the options are within the district itself as well as its immediate surroundings. You know what I'll say? "This is almost... ALMOST... worth the 20+ years of being metaphorically kicked in the nads repeatedly with spike-toed steel boots!"