CXLVII - Is this the 'Final Countdown' in Arizona?

[dj4aces]

22. A couple of weeks ago, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo said he’d address his staff about the future. It hasn’t happened yet.

I suppose that's why we haven't heard any leaks from the meeting. Hard to have leaks about something that hasn't happened.

 

[TheLegend]

Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Written:

22. A couple of weeks ago, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo said he’d address his staff about the future. It hasn’t happened yet.

I suppose that's why we haven't heard any leaks from the meeting. Hard to have leaks about something that hasn't happened.

I dunno…. can’t seem to find my copy of Meruelo’s itinerary right now and don’t remember exactly when he’s supposed to be here…….

 

[oldunclehue]

I keep going back to the fact Meruols already tied in to a ED in Reno which is in the billion range. Now looking like $115 million just to get the land without even putting a shovel in the ground. Plus the location looks like a developers dream! The continuous wait a little longer on this is amazing!!

 

[KevFu]

And it would still be the 9th youngest arena in the league, not counting Mullett.

It would also be the 10th largest by capacity.

It's almost like it's an actual NHL caliber arena.

Oh, I wasn't comparing the venues, I was comparing the interest by an NBA owner in Houston to add an NHL team.

Les Alexander was interested in getting an NHL expansion team, then relocating a team to Houston starting in 1995, which was 20 years after the Summit opened.

Tilman Fertitta is now interested in getting an NHL team in 2024, which is 20 years after the Toyota Center opened.

 

[GKJ]

The building is 20 years old, there's no doubt he's thinking about the next one - and the development area around it.

 

[Slashers98]

The Coyotes are 0-9-1 in their last 10 games. They can forget about making the playoffs once again. The interest must be dwindling right now, especially with MLB training camps opening this week.

 

[aqib]

The building is 20 years old, there's no doubt he's thinking about the next one - and the development area around it.

I haven't been to Houston in many years. Is there a better location than where they currently are?

 

[GKJ]

I haven't been to Houston in many years. Is there a better location than where they currently are?

I’ve never been there so I don’t know, but if there isn’t, the idea is they sell the city on making it one.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

The Coyotes are 0-9-1 in their last 10 games. They can forget about making the playoffs once again. The interest must be dwindling right now, especially with MLB training camps opening this week.

I doubt many Coyotes fans went into the season expecting playoffs.

 

[KevFu]

I haven't been to Houston in many years. Is there a better location than where they currently are?

The location of the Toyota Center and Minute Maid are fantastic. Fertitta says it repeatedly.

I think his uptick in NHL interest is less about getting a new arena (they just did like $30m in upgrades to the Toyota Center, with ridiculous suite upgrades. The facilities built in the "Sports as massive entertainment business" era -- basically everything that was designed AFTER Camden Yards opened -- are going to age far better than the buildings that teams left in the 1990s/early 2000s).

But much like Alexander in the 90s, adding a hockey team is about how revenue is shared with another Houston sports team. Last time it was Arena revenue with Watson. This time...

The Rockets and Astros partnered on Space City Sports Network, an RSN for their games in the wake of the Bally's/AT&T retreat. How do they split that revenue?

Is it 50/50 because it's their two teams? Is it the Astros saying "Well we have 162 games and you have 82... " Is it a combo of the two, like 50/50 for most things, but the ad sales revenue for each team's games goes to each owner?

Having an NHL team on Space City Sports (which surely they'd brand an NHL team something that has to do with space, right?) would increase his ad revenue share if that's how they do it; even the games out if that's how they do it, or give him 67% of revenue if each team has an even share.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I’ve never been there so I don’t know, but if there isn’t, the idea is they sell the city on making it one.

Which we should expect the rowdy group of "no taxes for stadiums" crew to come in here and support the league to attempt to continue to play at Mullett and stay in AZ because it's insane to expect a city to help fund a new venue that a billionaire owner could afford on their own.....right?

 

[LT]

The building is 20 years old, there's no doubt he's thinking about the next one - and the development area around it.

They're also in the process of renovating the Toyota Center to make sure it's hockey ready. That's been going on for several months. I don't think that happens without a fair likelihood of a team (AHL or NHL) in the near-ish future.

 

[LT]

I haven't been to Houston in many years. Is there a better location than where they currently are?

Not really. Houston is a massive city geographically. Downtown is definitely the best option and the easiest to get to, so I don't think I would say there is a clear better spot for an arena.

 

[TheLegend]

I doubt many Coyotes fans went into the season expecting playoffs.

We didn’t.

The consensus was something around 85 points and just out of the playoffs. The losing streak puts us a little under that right now.

That fact we were sitting in a wild card spot for a while got everyone’s expectations a little to high again.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

We didn’t.

The consensus was something around 85 points and just out of the playoffs. The losing streak puts us a little under that right now.

That fact we were sitting in a wild card spot for a while got everyone’s expectations a little to high again.

Exactly. I don't think it moves the needle one way or the other at all.

 

[TheLegend]

Exactly. I don't think it moves the needle one way or the other at all.

Nope….. as Alfred said to Bruce Wayne….

“Some people just want to watch the world burn.”

 

[LPHabsFan]

Exactly. I don't think it moves the needle one way or the other at all.

I'm pretty sure we're at the stage, and have been for years, where nothing can move the needle.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Nope….. as Alfred said to Bruce Wayne….

“Some people just want to watch the world burn.”

My daughter is like that. She likes to "make soup", and by that I mean she likes to put anything within arm's reach into a bowl and ask me to eat it.

 

[Voight]

They're also in the process of renovating the Toyota Center to make sure it's hockey ready. That's been going on for several months. I don't think that happens without a fair likelihood of a team (AHL or NHL) in the near-ish future.

How much did they have to renovate? They hosted the Aeros 11 years ago, has that much changed?

 

[LT]

How much did they have to renovate? They hosted the Aeros 11 years ago, has that much changed?

As 2023-24 begins, Rockets in process of $30-million renovation of Toyota Center

As the 2023-24 NBA season begins, the #Rockets are in the middle of a $30-million-plus renovation of Toyota Center. Here’s what the upgrades entail.

rocketswire.usatoday.com

https://www.thehockeyspotlight.com/post/houston-s-toyota-center-to-include-ice-making-equipment-in-renovation-plans

It's part of some general quality upgrades to keep the arena modern.

The ice was removed after the Aeros left, I believe, and this replaces it.

 

[Saskatoon]

I'm pretty sure we're at the stage, and have been for years, where nothing can move the needle.

I was certain Phoenix was going to move so many times that nothing surprises me anymore.

I think I would be less shocked at Taylor Swift parachuting in to keep the team in Phoenix then the Coyotes actually moving at this point.

 

[MeHateHe]

Has anyone considered the possibility that the state of Arizona will relocate and leave the Coyotes behind?

 

[aqib]

As 2023-24 begins, Rockets in process of $30-million renovation of Toyota Center

As the 2023-24 NBA season begins, the #Rockets are in the middle of a $30-million-plus renovation of Toyota Center. Here’s what the upgrades entail.

rocketswire.usatoday.com

https://www.thehockeyspotlight.com/post/houston-s-toyota-center-to-include-ice-making-equipment-in-renovation-plans

It's part of some general quality upgrades to keep the arena modern.

The ice was removed after the Aeros left, I believe, and this replaces it.

Just curious how burdensome is an ice plant? I remember when Seattle was a potential relocation option people said the Tacoma Dome wasn't a viable interim solution because it didn't have an ice plant. Like how hard is this to put in and maintain?

 

[Llama19]

Bickley & Marotta Show Hour 4: Xavier Gutierrez joins us to give the latest on the Coyotes arena situation

Source (Audio - starting around the 12:00 time mark): arizonasports.com/category/podcast_player/?a=bfd461d5-1557-4e1e-8de2-2932378896d9&n=Bickley+%26+Marotta+Show+Audio&i=1946

 

[Boris Zubov]

Bickley & Marotta Show Hour 4: Xavier Gutierrez joins us to give the latest on the Coyotes arena situation

Source (Audio - starting around the 12:00 time mark): arizonasports.com/category/podcast_player/?a=bfd461d5-1557-4e1e-8de2-2932378896d9&n=Bickley+%26+Marotta+Show+Audio&i=1946

Cliff notes please.