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

[awfulwaffle]

This wouldn't be a great idea. Have you seen the Netflix series Sunderland Till I Die? You don't need to be a soccer fan or even British to enjoy it.

They really should be filming now. Unfortunately they have an owner who apparently doesn't like being in the public eye.

Why does the owner need to be in the public eye? Does he need to be in the suite tossing tshirts out to fans?

If you've been following this historically, you know that many times, there has been reports of something, that weren't true, or false hope. Not sure what people expect him to do, when he has multiple other ventures. The Tempe RFP, that was tight lipped until there was actually something happening. Same with this land purchase plan. People had no idea that they were previously looking at more land, but decided it was too much, so worked on this smaller portion. Why do people need to have an update every step of the way, just makes no sense.

 

[aqib]

Why does the owner need to be in the public eye? Does he need to be in the suite tossing tshirts out to fans?

If you've been following this historically, you know that many times, there has been reports of something, that weren't true, or false hope. Not sure what people expect him to do, when he has multiple other ventures. The Tempe RFP, that was tight lipped until there was actually something happening. Same with this land purchase plan. People had no idea that they were previously looking at more land, but decided it was too much, so worked on this smaller portion. Why do people need to have an update every step of the way, just makes no sense.

Its not about keeping negotiations and progress secret. Its about the fact that he has made Guiterirez the public face of the team and kept a low profile when he needs to establish trust. You saw in Tempe that arena opponents were spreading stuff about Meurelo and successfully painting him as an untrustworthy guy. The ONLY way to defeat that perception is to be out there yourself.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Its not about keeping negotiations and progress secret. Its about the fact that he has made Guiterirez the public face of the team and kept a low profile when he needs to establish trust. You saw in Tempe that arena opponents were spreading stuff about Meurelo and successfully painting him as an untrustworthy guy. The ONLY way to defeat that perception is to be out there yourself.

So a simple press conference, and him saying "What they said about such and such, just simply isn't true" would have been good enough for you?

Guess people just won't be happy no matter what. You could make the argument that this is the most transparent group that's owned the team historically.

 

[aqib]

So a simple press conference, and him saying "What they said about such and such, just simply isn't true" would have been good enough for you?

Guess people just won't be happy no matter what. You could make the argument that this is the most transparent group that's owned the team historically.

Come on dude, you have to admit that never doing interviews or public appearances is not the way to build trust. He should be doing media interviews at least. He probably should be shaking hands with fans at Mullet. Heck he should be inviting @TheLegend to dinner.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Come on dude, you have to admit that never doing interviews or public appearances is not the way to build trust. He should be doing media interviews at least. He probably should be shaking hands with fans at Mullet. Heck he should be inviting @TheLegend to dinner.

Different opinions. XG is there for that. Makes no difference, atleast to me, if it's XG or AM. If anything, you're getting MORE info from XG than if you had AM making random appearances and that's the only thing you'd see from the organization.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Come on dude, you have to admit that never doing interviews or public appearances is not the way to build trust. He should be doing media interviews at least. He probably should be shaking hands with fans at Mullet. Heck he should be inviting @TheLegend to dinner.

Well the Meruelo group were such weak sticks that TL no doubt reached more folks regarding the facts about TED, unfortunately this forum was his only audience.

 

[TheLegend]

Come on dude, you have to admit that never doing interviews or public appearances is not the way to build trust. He should be doing media interviews at least. He probably should be shaking hands with fans at Mullet. Heck he should be inviting @TheLegend to dinner.

What you’ve been spinning here just reaffirms to me you don’t understand how Arizona politics works…… period.

Nor do you realize Meruelo has made public appearances and done exactly what you propose and it didn’t matter.

And that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.

 

[aqib]

What you’ve been spinning here just reaffirms to me you don’t understand how Arizona politics works…… period.

Nor do you realize Meruelo has made public appearances and done exactly what you propose and it didn’t matter.

And that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.

Has he taken you to dinner?

Seriously though, every interview I see posted here is Gutierrez. When they were debating the ballot issue he was in the audience. When they lost it was Gutierrez that handled the press conference. For all of Anthony LeBlanc's flaws (always overpromising) but the dude was out front all the time.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Has he taken you to dinner?

Seriously though, every interview I see posted here is Gutierrez. When they were debating the ballot issue he was in the audience. When they lost it was Gutierrez that handled the press conference. For all of Anthony LeBlanc's flaws (always overpromising) but the dude was out front all the time.

And he failed, so what's your point?

 

[CokenoPepsi]

What's going on with everything?

 

[Snarky Coyote]

Tell you in 2 weeks

 

[TheLegend]

Has he taken you to dinner?

Seriously though, every interview I see posted here is Gutierrez. When they were debating the ballot issue he was in the audience. When they lost it was Gutierrez that handled the press conference. For all of Anthony LeBlanc's flaws (always overpromising) but the dude was out front all the time.

And when IceArizona owned the franchise you only saw Anthony LeBlanc.

LeBlanc had very little equity of his own in the ownership. Probably 90% of his contribution was in the form of "sweat equity" playing CEO. Yet he was the front guy for everything.

Andrew Barroway took over and it primarily became Ahron Cohen.

And he failed, so what's your point?

He has none.

The fact is Alex Meruelo is a private person and not the flamboyant media darling @aqib feels he should be. Even though he did show up to Tempe council meetings, and even got up once and spoke directly to the council and audience members who kept calling him out.

 

[TheLegend]

What's going on with everything?

Right now the state has agreed to put the parcel of land Meruelo applied for up for auction. That information is expected to be made public early next week.

 

[LT]

What does an actual realistic timeline look lile if Mereulo is successful in getting this land?

Is Mullett Arena the only stopgap option until it's ready?

If they fail to get the land, what then?

 

[TheLegend]

What does an actual realistic timeline look lile if Mereulo is successful in getting this land?

Most are saying three years. Or the 2027-28 season. The arena itself could be built in two (Glendale took 22 months.) But this is raw land with next to zero infrastructure in place.

Is Mullett Arena the only stopgap option until it's ready?

Yes.

If they fail to get the land, what then?

If you want to believe the Coyotes, they have two other sites the have LOIs out on but very little is known.

Even so I don't see the league willing to wait to 2028-29. Not with two other cities banging on their front door ready to take in a franchise.

 

[AZDesertKnight]

What does an actual realistic timeline look lile if Mereulo is successful in getting this land?

Is Mullett Arena the only stopgap option until it's ready?

If they fail to get the land, what then?

If they fail to get the land, Gary Bettman will be on speed dial with Mat Ishbia, owner of the Phoenix Suns.

If there is no interest (Doubt it, Ishbia recently put together a Sports ownership corporation with the plan to expand his portfolio) the team is 100% gone

 

[LT]

If they fail to get the land, Gary Bettman will be on speed dial with Mat Ishbia, owner of the Phoenix Suns.

If there is no interest (Doubt it, Ishbia recently put together a Sports ownership corporation with the plan to expand his portfolio) the team is 100% gone

Why wouldn't that have already happened? Especially after Tempe failed last year?

 

[awfulwaffle]

Why wouldn't that have already happened? Especially after Tempe failed last year?

Because AM owns the coyotes?

 

[LT]

Because AM owns the coyotes?

Then what's different now from when Tempe failed?

Why would the NHL try to force AM out if this plan fails when they didn't try to force him out after AM's previous plan failed?

 

[awfulwaffle]

Then what's different now from when Tempe failed?

Why would the NHL try to force AM out if this plan fails when they didn't try to force him out after AM's previous plan failed?

They aren't forcing him out.

 

[TheLegend]

Then what's different now from when Tempe failed?

Why would the NHL try to force AM out if this plan fails when they didn't try to force him out after AM's previous plan failed?

The application for the state land came roughly one month following the Tempe vote.

The league was probably aware of this, and everything else the Coyotes were doing following the vote.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Most are saying three years. Or the 2027-28 season. The arena itself could be built in two (Glendale took 22 months.) But this is raw land with next to zero infrastructure in place.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but when I went to the groundbreaking ceremony for Glendale, the only infrastructure I remember was an irrigation ditch for the cotton field the arena replaced.

 

[TheLegend]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but when I went to the groundbreaking ceremony for Glendale, the only infrastructure I remember was an irrigation ditch for the cotton field the arena replaced.

Don’t think you’re wrong. But Westgate wasn’t in a floodplain and there was more infrastructure in place there than what I see near this site.

I think the 22 month window for arena construction itself is accurate. But what isn’t known yet is how complete all the other plans are.

If you want to draw some sort of comparison, the new VAI Resort in Westgate broke ground in June of 2021 and they’re going to be lucky to have any sort of opening by the end of this year. I drive by it everyday and can see the progress.

Granted it’s a bit more complex construction but their original opening was to have been the fall of 2023.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Don’t think you’re wrong. But Westgate wasn’t in a floodplain and there was more infrastructure in place there than what I see near this site.

I think the 22 month window for arena construction itself is accurate. But what isn’t known yet is how complete all the other plans are.

If you want to draw some sort of comparison, the new VAI Resort in Westgate broke ground in June of 2021 and they’re going to be lucky to have any sort of opening by the end of this year. I drive by it everyday and can see the progress.

Granted it’s a bit more complex construction but their original opening was to have been the fall of 2023.

I thought VAI had some ownership change, finance issue, something to that effect. But yes, also a bit of a different animal, if the arena is considered the first concern.

No floodplain - agreed. I'm pretty certain having the infrastructure across the street is much closer than what Glendale was dealing with. However, that infrastructure is in Scottsdale, so.....

This situation is eerily similar to Glendale, as I see us having an unusual parking situation and construction all around for the ED.

 

[aqib]

The fact is Alex Meruelo is a private person and not the flamboyant media darling @aqib feels he should be. Even though he did show up to Tempe council meetings, and even got up once and spoke directly to the council and audience members who kept calling him out.

If you want to be a private person buying controlling interest in a distressed major league sports team probably isn't a good idea.