CXLVIII - Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo had 'productive' meeting with Phoenix mayor

[TheLegend]

Is it trending towards what was originally envisioned? I remember someone posted a picture of the 3D model of the Westgate plan. It also had a bunch of high-end condos. I haven't followed Glendale since the Coyotes left. I remember Top Golf, Tanger, Matel, and the resort coming in.

I saw the original model in person.

BTW.... VIA Resort (and Mattel Theme Park) just pushed their opening date back again to "2025."

There was a LOT more planned for the surrounding area. At least a dozen big projects and none of them came about when the recession hit. USA Basketball was to move their HQ and training facilities there... the site is a big furniture outlet now. Cardinals were going to build two 20 story office buildings and that is now a stadium parking lot. IKEA was going to come in and then cancelled.

There's still developing going on. Just not on the scale that was originally planned.

 

[TheLegend]

Or the bidders contacted him and said he could make it known?

He said he didn't know who they were. His "source" just told him there were three group.

By coincidence another recent auction was reported to have three big hitters in on a massive parcel in North Phoenix. But that auction was on 5/29 and it ended up with a single bid from the original applicant for the opening price. But who knows???

Regardless if Meurelo loses this bid I wonder if that puts him out on having dibs on expansion?

Well.... rumor is he has two LOI's out on two other pieces of land. One in Mesa was reported about a while back, the other one we have no idea about (or if it actually exists.)

 

[aqib]

He loses this and it's realistically over for him because there's absolutely no way he can meet that 5-year deadline otherwise IMO.

I expect him to win it, because that would probably torture Coyotes fans even more in the long run.

Arenas take about 2 and a half years in colder climates and can be done in less than 2 years in warmer cities. So if he doesn't win this auction he could realistically go 2-3 more years before throwing in the towel. He does have the Roadrunners playing in Tempe this year so he would at least want to play it out for a year at least. The key indicator will be what he does with the Coyotes staff after the auction?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Arenas take about 2 and a half years in colder climates and can be done in less than 2 years in warmer cities. So if he doesn't win this auction he could realistically go 2-3 more years before throwing in the towel. He does have the Roadrunners playing in Tempe this year so he would at least want to play it out for a year at least. The key indicator will be what he does with the Coyotes staff after the auction?

It's not just the building. It's the searching, the networking, the buying, the zoning, etc...there are a ton of things that have to go right in order for him to make this work and he's probably not exactly a well-liked name in the business circles there right now.

I expect him to win this auction but in the case he doesn't I give him basically no chance to make it work and I don't think I'm being unfair.

 

[aqib]

It's not just the building. It's the searching, the networking, the buying, the zoning, etc...there are a ton of things that have to go right in order for him to make this work and he's probably not exactly a well-liked name in the business circles there right now.

I expect him to win this auction but in the case he doesn't I give him basically no chance to make it work and I don't think I'm being unfair.

Oh I don't think he will get this done. I just don't expect him to fold up shop that early. If there is one thing we know about this saga is that its never over when we think its over. I came to this forum 12 years ago just for the Coyotes and we're still here.

 

[Llama19]

Is it trending towards what was originally envisioned? I remember someone posted a picture of the 3D model of the Westgate plan. It also had a bunch of high-end condos. I haven't followed Glendale since the Coyotes left. I remember Top Golf, Tanger, Matel, and the resort coming in.

Edit:
Link to the Westgate map: westgateaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Westgate-Directory.pdf -or- explore this...with more detail... westgateaz.com/explore/map/

 

[aqib]

Just a reminder. The land auction is in..... 2 weeks

 

[BMN]

Did anyone screenshot the clock when it was exactly 14 days, 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds?

Official Arizona Coyotes Website | Arizona Coyotes

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.nhl.com

 

[TheLegend]

Did anyone screenshot the clock when it was exactly 14 days, 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds?

Official Arizona Coyotes Website | Arizona Coyotes

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.nhl.com

Nope….

Screenshot for the link…

 

[GKJ]

 

[TheLegend]

Not much new in this piece…. But confirmed Richard Rodier’s tweet the other day.

Bidders must have 20% opening price on deposit (~$14 million) to be able to bid. Balance must be paid within two years.

Land auction expected to have multiple bidders as Alex Meruelo hopes to build NHL stadium

A nearly 100-acre plot of land at Scottsdale Road just north of Loop 101 is up for auction soon and Alex Meruelo is expected to be one of several bidders eyeing the land.

www.abc15.com

 

[TLEH]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801372691229982910

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801395252575801798

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801397622495920344

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801104775888724243

Grifter does grifter things. Shocking. NHL and NHLPA should do everything in its power to not let this guy back in the league.

 

[Ciao]

First off, I L L!

I wouldn't be, but only because Meruelo needs to prove himself to a lot of people (including other stakeholders in this venture). Winning the auction is the best way to -start to- do that.

Also wouldn't be surprised if he loses because that's the expectation. The people in this community don't have any faith in him. I think we have seen his true colors, and they suck. But it's never too late to start to do the right thing, pursue forgiveness, and redeem one's self.

Oh, please.

 

[Tawnos]

Aside from the Meruelo Jr yacht thing in there, the rest of this sounds like pretty standard practice. The doors close, but the people get paid through the end of the month (which, by the way, is the same as being employed through the auction), plus a severance if a small one.

Who knows how it was communicated, of course.

 

[aqib]

Aside from the Meruelo Jr yacht thing in there, the rest of this sounds like pretty standard practice. The doors close, but the people get paid through the end of the month (which, by the way, is the same as being employed through the auction), plus a severance if a small one.

Who knows how it was communicated, of course.

Well a couple of things:

First of all 1 month severance is pretty awful considering that he got a billion in the sale and how difficult it will be for a lot of them to find other gigs.

Secondly when the Browns were on hiatus they did have a business staff in place the whole time doing marketing, community relations, and ticket sales.

 

[Pez68]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801372691229982910

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801395252575801798

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801397622495920344

https://x.com/i/web/status/1801104775888724243

Grifter does grifter things. Shocking. NHL and NHLPA should do everything in its power to not let this guy back in the league.

Eat the rich.

 

[Tawnos]

Well a couple of things:

First of all 1 month severance is pretty awful considering that he got a billion in the sale and how difficult it will be for a lot of them to find other gigs.

Secondly when the Browns were on hiatus they did have a business staff in place the whole time doing marketing, community relations, and ticket sales.

I did say it was a small severance. I’m a little confused about the comment about it being hard to find jobs, because it sounds like you’re saying something about this situation would be the reason for that. There’s no reason why their job search should be any different than anyone else who gets laid off.

The Browns knew for sure they would be coming back. Whatever the intentions here, no one knows for sure the Coyotes will be. It’s not the same situation.

Look, I’m not really defending what’s going on there. I’m just saying that if you take the emotion out of it, as reflected by that reporter’s comments, it seems to be pretty normal.

 

[TLEH]

Aside from the Meruelo Jr yacht thing in there, the rest of this sounds like pretty standard practice. The doors close, but the people get paid through the end of the month (which, by the way, is the same as being employed through the auction), plus a severance if a small one.

Who knows how it was communicated, of course.

He verbally said otherwise, they got laid off today, not at the end of the auction. Therefore he's a month short of his statement, and 1 paycheck severance is a garbage severance.

 

[Tawnos]

He verbally said otherwise, they got laid off today, not at the end of the auction. Therefore he's a month short of his statement, and 1 paycheck severance is a garbage severance.

No disagreement about the size of the severance.

This is definitely a “stop coming to work now, but your termination date is the end of the month” situation, based on the Morgan tweet. The auction is June 27. That fills the letter of the promise, but not the spirit of it.

 

[TheLegend]

Well a couple of things:

First of all 1 month severance is pretty awful considering that he got a billion in the sale and how difficult it will be for a lot of them to find other gigs.

Secondly when the Browns were on hiatus they did have a business staff in place the whole time doing marketing, community relations, and ticket sales.

Well first thing…. after all the debt he has gets resolved he’s not going to have a billion dollars in his pocket. Craig Morgan has been hinting he’s ending up with a LOT less than that.

Also have to keep reminding people Arizona is a right to work state. Meruelo isn’t obligated to pay them anything past their last day of employment. But he’s going to carry them for 30 more days.

Sure….. it sucks. But it happens everywhere in Arizona and there’s already going to be a lot of heresay gossip surrounding this.

 

[aqib]

I did say it was a small severance. I’m a little confused about the comment about it being hard to find jobs, because it sounds like you’re saying something about this situation would be the reason for that. There’s no reason why their job search should be any different than anyone else who gets laid off.

The Browns knew for sure they would be coming back. Whatever the intentions here, no one knows for sure the Coyotes will be. It’s not the same situation.

Look, I’m not really defending what’s going on there. I’m just saying that if you take the emotion out of it, as reflected by that reporter’s comments, it seems to be pretty normal.

If they didn't go to Utah then there probably aren't a lot of jobs with other NHL teams or sports organizations in general. If they don't get a job with the DBacks, Suns, or Cardinals they either they need to change industries or cities. Its not like getting laid off at a bank and going to another bank,

That's my point. If he isn't even waiting until the auction then I think that's a signal he thinks this isn't going to happen.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Eat the rich.

It's not because he's rich. It's because his daddy set him up for success and he hasn't had to work for shit.

 

[Tawnos]

If they didn't go to Utah then there probably aren't a lot of jobs with other NHL teams or sports organizations in general. If they don't get a job with the DBacks, Suns, or Cardinals they either they need to change industries or cities. Its not like getting laid off at a bank and going to another bank,

That's my point. If he isn't even waiting until the auction then I think that's a signal he thinks this isn't going to happen.

Most of the employees on an office staff of a sports team aren’t doing jobs that are specific to sports. It’s obviously not limited to this, but for the Browns you mentioned they kept on marketing, community relations, and ticket sales. None of those would require solely looking at other sports teams for future employment.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Well a couple of things:

First of all 1 month severance is pretty awful considering that he got a billion in the sale and how difficult it will be for a lot of them to find other gigs.

Secondly when the Browns were on hiatus they did have a business staff in place the whole time doing marketing, community relations, and ticket sales.

Let's be realistic. If you were a Coyotes employee, and not searching for another job after the sale, well.....

If they didn't go to Utah then there probably aren't a lot of jobs with other NHL teams or sports organizations in general. If they don't get a job with the DBacks, Suns, or Cardinals they either they need to change industries or cities. Its not like getting laid off at a bank and going to another bank,

That's my point. If he isn't even waiting until the auction then I think that's a signal he thinks this isn't going to happen.

Were they jobs specifically to sports? If you are in marketing, you can use that anywhere. If you are in Accounting, you can use that anywhere. If you are in HR, you can use that anywhere.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Meruelo proving my continued distrust of him was a spot on take.