CXLI - UPDATE 1/27 - Coyotes working on deal to play at 5,000-seat arena at ASU

[Fenway]

Continued from

CXL - UPDATE 12/9 - Coyotes settle bills after unpaid taxes come to light​

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[JimAnchower]

Proponent concerned if it's a no, the Coyotes could do business with the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community.

I think there is a bigger threat they could do business with if it's a no. They may not even need a no to kill it

If Salt River were really an option, wouldn't that be preferred? At some point, the fact nothing has advanced beyond preliminary talks tells you Salt Rivers level of interest.

 

[Mightygoose]

If Salt River were really an option, wouldn't that be preferred? At some point, the fact nothing has advanced beyond preliminary talks tells you Salt Rivers level of interest.

Makes me wonder who is planting the Salt River ' option' in the story.

I agree that fact that the team chose to move forward with Tempe tells me it's more realistic than any tribe.

Plus even Salt River is a viable plan B, they don't have allot of time for Tempe to fail before changing gears.

 

[JimAnchower]

Makes me wonder who is planting the Salt River ' option' in the story.

I agree that fact that the team chose to move forward with Tempe tells me it's more realistic than any tribe.

Plus even Salt River is a viable plan B, they don't have allot of time for Tempe to fail before changing gears.

Because Salt River is private, they never have to reveal their level of interest. They probably don't mind the free publicity by never publicizing their answer. And because they never answer, it is a threat the Coyotes can use to say "we have other options" that's at least plausible.

 

[TheLegend]

If Salt River were really an option, wouldn't that be preferred? At some point, the fact nothing has advanced beyond preliminary talks tells you Salt Rivers level of interest.

It’s a different animal with different caveats.

Biggest being the financials would be drastically different with Salt River. Meruelo wouldn’t own the land the project would sit on. Salt River also has a sports book license of their own so it pretty much neuters Meruelo’s

If it’s the location I think it is, Salt River’s original casino (Casino Arizona) sits on that site and word was they were looking to tear it down and rebuild it. Meruelo’s project would make for a great traffic driver. Which the tribe would have interest in and would explain the pro-Tempe members of the city council worries that if Meruelo went there it would hurt them some.

 

[Edenjung]

@aqib

Wasn't there also this woman that later got to taser one of the councilmen?
I remember that one from an episode of John Oliver.

 

[awfulwaffle]

@aqib

Wasn't there also this woman that later got to taser one of the councilmen?
I remember that one from an episode of John Oliver.

What does that have to do with the tempe deal?

 

[aqib]

@aqib

Wasn't there also this woman that later got to taser one of the councilmen?
I remember that one from an episode of John Oliver.

Yeah I saw Keith Olbermann do a bit on her too. She tasered the mayor. They auctioned off the right to taser the mayor to raise money for a charity I think.

 

[aqib]

What does that have to do with the tempe deal?

We were talking about Coyotes fans going to Council meetings.

 

[Edenjung]

What does that have to do with the tempe deal?

a tiny bit.
because it was the foll up on the talk they had at the end of the last thread about the glendale council meetings in 2014 and that a lot of coyotes fans attended them.
And somebody was talking about the people who were there and i remembered somebody else that was there.

 

[Edenjung]

Yeah I saw Keith Olbermann do a bit on her too. She tasered the mayor. They auctioned off the right to taser the mayor to raise money for a charity I think.

Yes exactly.

back then i was not a coyotes fan though so i never got it

 

[TheLegend]

@aqib

Wasn't there also this woman that later got to taser one of the councilmen?
I remember that one from an episode of John Oliver.

Yeah I saw Keith Olbermann do a bit on her too. She tasered the mayor. They auctioned off the right to taser the mayor to raise money for a charity I think.

The woman’s name was Rhonda Pearson. A somewhat rabid Coyotes fan (almost groupie status). She had spoken at the council meeting the night they terminated the lease with IA and really ripped into the mayor who led the termination move.

So a short time later the mayor (Jerry Weiers) was offering to have himself tasered to the highest bidder to raise money at a benefit for a local police charity and someone put in a huge bid for her.

The two did meet privately before she got to taser him. Nobody knows what they talked about but the event went viral.

 

[gstommylee]

It’s a different animal with different caveats.

Biggest being the financials would be drastically different with Salt River. Meruelo wouldn’t own the land the project would sit on. Salt River also has a sports book license of their own so it pretty much neuters Meruelo’s

If it’s the location I think it is, Salt River’s original casino (Casino Arizona) sits on that site and word was they were looking to tear it down and rebuild it. Meruelo’s project would make for a great traffic driver. Which the tribe would have interest in and would explain the pro-Tempe members of the city council worries that if Meruelo went there it would hurt them some.

and i wonder how the rest of the city feels if that happens... All the arena traffic and revenue going next door on tribal land.

 

[Mightygoose]

and i wonder how the rest of the city feels if that happens... All the arena traffic and revenue going next door on tribal land.

Or do the ones on the no side and fence call the bluff.

There's been talk of doing business with various tribes since Glendale amended the lease in 2015 and there's never been a leak.

 

[TheLegend]

Or do the ones on the no side and fence call the bluff.

There's been talk of doing business with various tribes since Glendale amended the lease in 2015 and there's never been a leak.

As mentioned above. The tribes don’t do public.

I recall when Steve Patterson was brought in as a consultant by the IA/Coyotes and had something going with Salt River. Patterson went on to be CEO for a while later but mentioned in an interview after he left the Yotes that when he was talking to Salt River Anthony LeBlanc ran his mouth about it and it died right there.

I recalling it all from memory so it may not be completely accurate.

 

[Mightygoose]

As mentioned above. The tribes don’t do public.

I recall when Steve Patterson was brought in as a consultant by the IA/Coyotes and had something going with Salt River. Patterson went on to be CEO for a while later but mentioned in an interview after he left the Yotes that when he was talking to Salt River Anthony LeBlanc ran his mouth about it and it died right there.

Yes it does make sense why we don't hear anything. Can't be proven or disproven at this time.

If Salt River is a legitimate plan B, I wonder how long does Meruelo wait to move on? As Tempe doesn't need to say no either.

IIRC Nick Woods mentioned in mid November that he would like to see the city decide within 60 days. With nothing to vote on this Thursdays meeting, that could be the reason for timing of today's article

 

[TheLegend]

Yes it does make sense why we don't hear anything. Can't be proven or disproven at this time.

If Salt River is a legitimate plan B, I wonder how long does Meruelo wait to move on? As Tempe doesn't need to say no either.

IIRC Nick Woods mentioned in mid November that he would like to see the city decide within 60 days. With nothing to vote on this Thursdays meeting, that could be the reason for timing of today's article

Could be.

Still believe February is going to be when we have clarity. Tempe still has to get the consultant’s report. No telling how much that will sway the two council members on the fence. I’m going on the presumption the other five votes were locked in from the beginning and if Meruelo manages to get through this I would rather see a 5-2 vote than a 4-3.

(Edit: As to plan B. Meruelo mentioned prior to Tempe issuing the RFP he had two options and would make a decision on one shortly. That would preclude he was farther along with Salt River than anyone might realize and revving up than plan might not take that long.)

 

[GordonGraham]

Salt River not being as advance as Tempe would this mean an extra year or 2 in a shitty venue ?

 

[OG6ix]

I'm sure Muerelo is trying to figure out the situation in AZ but I'm also sure the NHL owners and Bettman are also working on a back up which includes relocation if Muerelo does not have anything by April. If Muerelo does not have anything I can see the team moving without having the chance to say goodbye to the fans (like Atlanta).

I also think the salt River option is being used as leverage and Tempe knows that. Have any other sports teams used tribal land to build an arena in the past? I feel like it's a gamble and to get things like renovations in the future is going to be difficult given that sports teams as counties to fit the bill.

 

[TheLegend]

I'm sure Muerelo is trying to figure out the situation in AZ but I'm also sure the NHL owners and Bettman are also working on a back up which includes relocation if Muerelo does not have anything by April. If Muerelo does not have anything I can see the team moving without having the chance to say goodbye to the fans (like Atlanta).

I also think the salt River option is being used as leverage and Tempe knows that. Have any other sports teams used tribal land to build an arena in the past? I feel like it's a gamble and to get things like renovations in the future is going to be difficult given that sports teams as counties to fit the bill.

The MLB Diamondbacks spring training facility is on Salt River lands near their Talking Stick Resort. But I have no idea on what the arrangements are.

 

[Boris Zubov]

The woman’s name was Rhonda Pearson. A somewhat rabid Coyotes fan (almost groupie status). She had spoken at the council meeting the night they terminated the lease with IA and really ripped into the mayor who led the termination move.

So a short time later the mayor (Jerry Weiers) was offering to have himself tasered to the highest bidder to raise money at a benefit for a local police charity and someone put in a huge bid for her.

The two did meet privately before she got to taser him. Nobody knows what they talked about but the event went viral.

I began lurking around the BOH in 2015 when barely a peep was being reported by most news outlets about the lease cancellation. This place had more info than every major publication in the US & Canada combined.

Wasn't there a rumor that Pearson was planted by the team in the city council meeting when she lost her mind on the mayor? I seem to remember other videos surfacing of her speaking at previous council meetings when they were voting to approve the IA subsidy back in 2013.

 

[LPHabsFan]

Overly expensive and non sensical plans involving the Coyotes are falling apart? Quelle surprise....

This team has too much debt, extremely poorly run, and has destroyed any trust in the market for this situation to ever end up in anything less than the team moving. The longer this goes on, the more money gets wasted. It's been like that for the past 10 years (at least that's how long I've been following it) and it's never going to change no matter how much makeup you put on whatever owner Bettman can con into "buying" the team.

I still maintain that Muruelo has not put a single dime into this team and that he's just a figurehead owner who's trying to get a different deal put together. It just makes no sense otherwise.

 

[TheLegend]

Overly expensive and non sensical plans involving the Coyotes are falling apart? Quelle surprise....

This team has too much debt, extremely poorly run, and has destroyed any trust in the market for this situation to ever end up in anything less than the team moving. The longer this goes on, the more money gets wasted. It's been like that for the past 10 years (at least that's how long I've been following it) and it's never going to change no matter how much makeup you put on whatever owner Bettman can con into "buying" the team.

I still maintain that Muruelo has not put a single dime into this team and that he's just a figurehead owner who's trying to get a different deal put together. It just makes no sense otherwise.

You can make any opinion you want.

But if it’s all based on assumptions and innuendo it doesn’t really mean much.

 

[TheLegend]

I began lurking around the BOH in 2015 when barely a peep was being reported by most news outlets about the lease cancellation. This place had more info than every major publication in the US & Canada combined.

Wasn't there a rumor that Pearson was planted by the team in the city council meeting when she lost her mind on the mayor? I seem to remember other videos surfacing of her speaking at previous council meetings when they were voting to approve the IA subsidy back in 2013.

Could have been but I never heard of any.. People whom I know who knew her say she’s a “groupie” of sorts. Long time STH and a bit fanatical.

 

[LPHabsFan]

You can make any opinion you want.

But if it’s all based on assumptions and innuendo it doesn’t really mean much.

Thank you for allowing me to do that. I quite appreciate it.