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

[KevFu]

If AM gets 1 billion.... and the rights for a future expansion team.....does that mean the NHL will only charge 1 billion for an expansion team in Arizona? That seems low considering what other markets are selling for. If its more than 1 billion than AM would be a sucker to sell for 1 billion than have to fork over 1 billion+ for the expansion team.

But he's giving his team to another market for 3 years, which causes damage in his market.

The franchise switcharoo makes complete and total sense (Expand to SLC, but pair the roster waiting on an arena and the arena waiting on a roster into one complete franchise for 3-5 years until a PHX arena is ready)

But you have to sell that to PHX better. They need an incentive to allow the NHL to have the situation they want while waiting on the PHX arena. So guaranteeing the expansion price to revive the Coyotes in PHX equals the sale price to Smith is totally fair.

 

[gstommylee]

Would AM even still be allowed to bid for the state land since none of us know what the language was that he put in the application. AM selling the team may invalidate his ability to bid.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I want to believe, but it just instinctively feels like huge cope to say that Meruelo will build an arena now, right?

For as much of a nightmare as it has been down there for decades, losing the team for three years and getting it back in expansion with a new building is not a bad outcome. As unlikable as Meruelo is and as much as they've mismanaged parts of the process I still think you can sell that to the market, if that's what's happening and if the league is guaranteeing it

 

[KevFu]

This is nuts…but a great idea by the nhl! Merulo will have the time and focus on the new development if he gets the land! Win win for both, coyotes fans are the losers of this happens but can get a full re-start once the arenas built!

That's the thing... guaranteeing the Arizona Coyotes exist as long as there's a new arena in Phoenix and selling the fresh start angle is doable, if they were out in front of this, assuring and guaranteeing Phoenix fans.

 

[red devil]

 

[KevFu]

Would AM even still be allowed to bid for the state land since none of us know what the language was that he put in the application. AM selling the team may invalidate his ability to bid.

I want to believe, but it just instinctively feels like huge cope to say that Meruelo will build an arena now, right?

For as much of a nightmare as it has been down there for decades, losing the team for three years and getting it back in expansion with a new building is not a bad outcome. As unlikable as Meruelo is and as much as they've mismanaged parts of the process I still think you can sell that to the market, if that's what's happening and if the league is guaranteeing it

There's no reason for AM to both chase the land (which he's doing) and sell the team (which everyone is talking about like he's also doing) unless the return of the Coyotes is guaranteed, if there's a new arena, of course.

Like I said: Pretend for a second that the NHL announced a Salt Lake expansion team to start in 2027-28. The first response would be "why have them wait until then to play, take the Coyotes roster and play now!" If a new PHX arena opening and an expansion draft in 2027-28 were both happening, Delta is better than Mullet. Just trade your roster for their expansion draft.

All of that makes sense. The only way it doesn't make sense is that we don't know for sure the PHX land deal is won and an arena is built. But AM certainly is moving forward with it as if he's an NHL owner who needs an arena and not like he's selling and completely out of the NHL business.

 

[Golden_Jet]

and what happens if AM wins the auction?

They build an arena a get an expansion team, in 4 years, like numerous posters have already mentioned to you.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Not sure if this will get answered properly on the main board but with this SLC news happening I pose this:

Not trolling or anything, but didn’t someone (Kevin Weekes maybe?) tweet out that the Coyotes was looking into private land? Was that not a thing very recently?

 

[bossram]

This is pretty much exactly what I predicted. Mereulo is a grifter, through and through. He was never actually interested in running a hockey team, as shown by how little money he invested in the on-ice product, stiffing vendors and rent, and being completely unserious about building a new arena.

The whole charade about a new arena was always about selling the team at a profit. Again, he has no interest in creating a viable on-ice product. Once he had approval for whatever hocus-pocus arena plan there was, he was going to sell the team at a massive profit from what he paid for.

Luckily for him, he doesn't have to do that now. The NHL/Ryan Smith are just going to pay him out! This is the dream for Mereulo. Doesn't even have to keep the pretenses of his charade. Just gets the cash.

 

[GKJ]

Not sure if this will get answered properly on the main board but with this SLC news happening I pose this:

Not trolling or anything, but didn’t someone (Kevin Weekes maybe?) tweet out that the Coyotes was looking into private land? Was that not a thing very recently?

That’s the land the auction is for, yes.

 

[madhi19]

I want to believe, but it just instinctively feels like huge cope to say that Meruelo will build an arena now, right?

For as much of a nightmare as it has been down there for decades, losing the team for three years and getting it back in expansion with a new building is not a bad outcome. As unlikable as Meruelo is and as much as they've mismanaged parts of the process I still think you can sell that to the market, if that's what's happening and if the league is guaranteeing it

You want a sad prediction. It's going to be awfully easier to quietly kill that project in the middle of Summer once the team is gone. This is about saving face (Always was a big angle of the whole saga), but once it's gone it's probably really gone.

 

[TheLegend]

They build an arena a get an expansion team, in 4 years, like numerous posters have already mentioned to you.

No guarantees on any of that happening..... and for obvious reasons a lot of current fans are not going to want or accept Meruelo as an owner.

IF..... this all goes down.

 

[TheLegend]

Not sure if this will get answered properly on the main board but with this SLC news happening I pose this:

Not trolling or anything, but didn’t someone (Kevin Weekes maybe?) tweet out that the Coyotes was looking into private land? Was that not a thing very recently?

They had two letters of intent out on a couple of parcels.

But Gutierrez recently stated it's this parcel up for auction of nothing.

 

[jkrdevil]

You want a sad prediction. It's going to be awfully easier to quietly kill that project in the middle of Summer once the team is gone. This is about saving face (Always was a big angle of the whole saga), but once it's gone it's probably really gone.

At that point the league probably moves forward with trying get another group for an expansion team in the market. With the promise of expansion and the league seemingly having Atlanta lined up to pair up with the rebirth of the Coyotes expansion is going to happen.

Though if the auction falls through maybe that is where a Houston steps in to pair with Atlanta.

 

[red devil]

 

[StreetHawk]

Though if the auction falls through maybe that is where a Houston steps in to pair with Atlanta.

Houston just needs Fertitia to pay the price that the NHL wants. Question is will he.

 

[Skidooboy]

these posts remind me of the Atlanta to winnipeg deal...
first it leaks, then everyone denies it, then "Lots of moving pieces" then "Were working Hard to find a solution in Atlanta" then Lebrun leaked the news as "done deal", then a few weeks of denials and misdirections, then the league announced....

I'd say 85% chance the team is gone.

 

[TheLegend]

Normally I wouldn't post this here but PHNX is hosting an emergency podcast on today's events and Seravalli and Friedman will both be on this live.

(UPDATE: Seravalli will be on at 3:00pm local, Frieldman joins at 3:45pm)

 

[Voight]

This IS the governor's trying to get AM to take the deal they have on the table.

League won't get mad, because Frank got it from them lol. It's just politicking and public opinion.

They gave AM a good deal to sell, make a bit of money, maybe have a team in the future, now they're sabotaging public support.

Makes perfect sense.

SLC is still a weird destination though. I liked Houston, Quebec, Hamilton/2nd southern Ontario,etc..

Seriously, this was leaked for a reason.

Just like when Smith came out with his statement in feb. He wouldn't of done that without approval from the league.

 

[GKJ]

these posts remind me of the Atlanta to winnipeg deal...
first it leaks, then everyone denies it, then "Lots of moving pieces" then "Were working Hard to find a solution in Atlanta" then Lebrun leaked the news as "done deal", then a few weeks of denials and misdirections, then the league announced....

I'd say 85% chance the team is gone.

That whole time was Darren Dreger wondering why his ‘Thrashers have not moved to Winnipeg’ shirt had people asking questions already answered by the shirt

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

This smells of a league leak to me as well.

 

[Fenway]

Elliotte Friedman must have gotten it from the top

NHL, Arizona Coyotes preparing for possible relocation to Utah

The NHL and the Arizona Coyotes are preparing for the possibility of a move to Utah as soon as April 18, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday.

www.sportsnet.ca

The NHL and the Arizona Coyotes are preparing for the possibility of a move to Utah as soon as April 18, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday.

The team’s final game is at home against Edmonton next Wednesday. One Coyote indicated today that there are rumours of “meeting about the future” before everyone goes their separate ways for the off-season.

 

[GKJ]

Friedman is going to be on PHNX too

BREAKING: NHL And Arizona Coyotes Preparing For Possible Relocation To Salt Lake City

The NHL and Arizona Coyotes are preparing for possible relocation to Salt Lake City, per multiple sources. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli and Sportsnet’s El...

www.youtube.com

 

[GKJ]

Podcast starts with Craig Morgan and the other host immediately apologizing to Frank for disputing his reporting, if you want to know where that stands

 

[Teemu]

This series of threads turns 15 years old on May 5, the 15th anniversary of Balsillie's bid

Balsillie puts in $212.5 mil offer for the Coyotes

Dreger just announced it on TSN. Offer is contigent on moving the franchise, but this is going to be hard for the NHL to block.

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