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

[madhi19]

The auction is by the state of Arizona Land Department, not the city of Phoenix.

The Land Department board probably has the option to delay or cancel the auction if they believe something material in AM’s developer proposal has changed. I’d have to go back and look through all the published Land Department documents to see if there’s any details actually requiring AM to host and build an arena large enough for a major professional league sports team. I suspect the docs will be light on specifics.

It would be interesting to know the exact wording of the bid. Do they call it an unspecific entertainment center as the cornerstone of a residential/mix use development. Because anything can be a entertainment center. A couple of bars with stages, a mid size live theater... That's a lot of leeway to have your cake, and screw it. That might be the big point in securing that bid does the LDB care much what you do with the land in specific, as long as you develop under the required deadline.

 

[mouser]

It would be interesting to know the exact wording of the bid. Do they call it an unspecific entertainment center as the cornerstone of a residential/mix use development. Because anything can be a entertainment center. A couple of bars with stages, a mid size live theater... That's a lot of leeway to have your cake, and screw it. That might be the big point in securing that bid does the LDB care much what you do with the land in specific, as long as you develop under the required deadline.

I’m pretty sure competing bidders don’t need to exactly match the proposed land usage of the original auction requester. But I believe the Land Department has the right to reject competing bidders based on that bidder’s proposed land usage.

It’s in the Land Departments (state of Arizona’s) best interests to not get overly specific on the required land usage to encourage more bidders. At the same time they don’t want a bidder to do something with the property the department deems not in the state’s best interests. As a simple example, I suspect any bidder proposing a golf course on the property would be frowned upon given the ongoing drought in the southwest US, even if the developer could secure water rights.

 

[madhi19]

I’m pretty sure competing bidders don’t need to exactly match the proposed land usage of the original auction requester. But I believe the Land Department has the right to reject competing bidders based on that bidder’s proposed land usage.

It’s in the Land Departments (state of Arizona’s) best interests to not get overly specific on the required land usage to encourage more bidders. At the same time they don’t want a bidder to do something with the property the department deems not in the state’s best interests. As a simple example, I suspect any bidder proposing a golf course on the property would be frowned upon given the ongoing drought in the southwest US, even if the developer could secure water rights.

I bet Morelo bid does not need to specifically use the word arena. I agree there leeway and leeway.

 

[Dolemite]

Gretzky was replaced by any number of people since then, maybe he had a bad business deal, but as a hockey ops person, he's no more to blame than folks like John Chayka were.

Ummm he hired a goaltending coach in Grant Fuhr who spent most of his time on the golf course. He hired friends into front office positions instead of the most talented candidates available.

Signed Georges Laraque….with a no trade clause.

Do I need to mention the Danny Briere trade for a bag of magic beans?

His hiring and damage to the team took EONS to reverse.

 

[GKJ]

Ummm he hired a goaltending coach in Grant Fuhr who spent most of his time on the golf course. He hired friends into front office positions instead of the most talented candidates available.

Do I need to mention the Danny Brier trade for a bag of magic beans?

And then they made the playoffs the three years after he left, including a run to the western finals.

 

[Dolemite]

And then they made the playoffs the three years after he left, including a run to the western finals.

Correction - Three years after he was black balled by the league for what he did to the team and some of the players development.

::edit::

Kyle Turris’s development was ruined by the Gretzky Regime.

 

[GKJ]

Correction - Three years after he was black balled by the league for what he did to the team.

It really doesn't matter. The franchise still rebounded into the best years they had there and failed to capitalize off that. The move to Glendale was obviously terrible, we knew it at the time, and he was there for that, but that was pre-bankruptcy. 15 years is plenty of time to straighten the ship, the time since he left is still over half the time they've been there.

 

[Dolemite]

It really doesn't matter. The franchise still rebounded into the best years they had there and failed to capitalize off that. The move to Glendale was obviously terrible, we knew it at the time, and he was there for that, but that was pre-bankruptcy. 15 years is plenty of time to straighten the ship, the time since he left is still over half the time they've been there.

The move to Glendale wasn’t terrible. Glendale failed to deliver on the full realization of the Westgate complex. What’s there today is but a small fraction of what it was supposed to be.

Also, I know about the rebounds. I covered the team at the time and saw it all first hand.

 

[Shwan]

At the same time they don’t want a bidder to do something with the property the department deems not in the state’s best interests. As a simple example, I suspect any bidder proposing a golf course on the property would be frowned upon given the ongoing drought in the southwest US, even if the developer could secure water rights.

You know HonorHealth legit bought land just to spite Banner and their CEO made a public statement that they're doing nothing with the land for 10 years after they won the auction, right?

After the auction, LaPorte said HonorHealth has no plans to build on the site and that area residents are currently sufficiently served by HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic. He estimated the HonorHealth network’s current facilities have enough growth capacity to serve demand for at least the next 10 years but added this week’s land purchase gives HonorHealth still more growth opportunities.

 

[TheLegend]

The move to Glendale wasn’t terrible. Glendale failed to deliver on the full realization of the Westgate complex. What’s there today is but a small fraction of what it was supposed to be.

Also, I know about the rebounds. I covered the team at the time and saw it all first hand.

You really mean to say Steve Ellman didn’t deliver.

As much as Glendale has had their share of things that can be criticized … this wasn’t one of them.

 

[Llama19]

Will the Arizona Coyotes move to Utah? Here's what we know

To quote:

"The potential departure has raised myriad questions. What happens next to the team? Is the land auction and arena in northeast Phoenix still moving forward? What are city officials from Phoenix, Tempe and Glendale saying?

The auction is still on for June 27.

The auction will proceed as scheduled, according to Lynn Córdova, spokesperson for the Arizona State Land Department.

The Governor’s Office did not receive any notice of the team’s potential move as of last week, according to a spokesperson for Gov. Katie Hobbs. The spokesperson, Christian Slater, declined to comment further.

The mayor declined to comment Monday. Her spokesperson, Arielle Devorah, confirmed that Meruelo and Gallego have a meeting scheduled for later this month.

Councilman Jim Waring, whose district the potential arena would be located in, expressed mostly bewilderment Monday.

“I was confused by the reports that the team was moving forward on bidding for the state trust land parcel but at the same time there were credible reports they were moving the team. If the plan is to have an expansion team in a few years, then that mystery is solved. But the same reaction remains for me: Until they are the winning bidder for the property at auction, it’s hard to move forward crafting an agreement."

Tempe City Councilmember and Coyotes fan Randy Keating said the NHL franchise’s owners “strung along” fans about their future in the state even as they planned to move to Utah. “The way they treated the fans was shameful.”

Keating blames the Coyotes’ ineffective and slow-starting political campaign, which he believes ultimately sealed the team's fate in Arizona.

“They ran a terribly inept campaign,” he told The Republic. “I think losing in Tempe was what killed it. After that, there's really nowhere to go. They looked at some other places and didn't find anything else.”

Councilmember Joyce Clark took to her personal blog where she called the move “inevitable.”

“Leaving Glendale was the beginning of the end,” she wrote, before disparaging Meruelo for sending the team “down this path with his arrogance and stubbornness.”

“He could have and should have been more reasonable and negotiated a deal in Glendale that was mutually beneficial to the city and to the team,” Clark added."

Source: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2024/04/15/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-arizona-coyotes-latest-updates/73332096007/

 

[TheLegend]

Will the Arizona Coyotes move to Utah? Here's what we know

To quote:

"The potential departure has raised myriad questions. What happens next to the team? Is the land auction and arena in northeast Phoenix still moving forward? What are city officials from Phoenix, Tempe and Glendale saying?

The auction is still on for June 27.

The auction will proceed as scheduled, according to Lynn Córdova, spokesperson for the Arizona State Land Department.

The Governor’s Office did not receive any notice of the team’s potential move as of last week, according to a spokesperson for Gov. Katie Hobbs. The spokesperson, Christian Slater, declined to comment further.

The mayor declined to comment Monday. Her spokesperson, Arielle Devorah, confirmed that Meruelo and Gallego have a meeting scheduled for later this month.

Councilman Jim Waring, whose district the potential arena would be located in, expressed mostly bewilderment Monday.

“I was confused by the reports that the team was moving forward on bidding for the state trust land parcel but at the same time there were credible reports they were moving the team. If the plan is to have an expansion team in a few years, then that mystery is solved. But the same reaction remains for me: Until they are the winning bidder for the property at auction, it’s hard to move forward crafting an agreement."

Tempe City Councilmember and Coyotes fan Randy Keating said the NHL franchise’s owners “strung along” fans about their future in the state even as they planned to move to Utah. “The way they treated the fans was shameful.”

Keating blames the Coyotes’ ineffective and slow-starting political campaign, which he believes ultimately sealed the team's fate in Arizona.

“They ran a terribly inept campaign,” he told The Republic. “I think losing in Tempe was what killed it. After that, there's really nowhere to go. They looked at some other places and didn't find anything else.”

Councilmember Joyce Clark took to her personal blog where she called the move “inevitable.”

“Leaving Glendale was the beginning of the end,” she wrote, before disparaging Meruelo for sending the team “down this path with his arrogance and stubbornness.”

“He could have and should have been more reasonable and negotiated a deal in Glendale that was mutually beneficial to the city and to the team,” Clark added."

Source: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2024/04/15/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-arizona-coyotes-latest-updates/73332096007/

btw….. just clarifying that the laugh wasn’t at you, Llama… it was for Joyce Clark.

 

[Shwan]

btw….. just clarifying that the laugh wasn’t at you, Llama… it was for Joyce Clark.

I am never one to disparage anyone over their appearance........ but you can probably draw a direct evolutionary line between blobfish and Joyce.

 

[Llama19]

I am never one to disparage anyone over their appearance........ but you can probably draw a direct evolutionary line between blobfish and Joyce.

View attachment 852618

Your statement is offensive to blobfish...

 

[mouser]

You know HonorHealth legit bought land just to spite Banner and their CEO made a public statement that they're doing nothing with the land for 10 years after they won the auction, right?

Yup, doesn't cast the best light on the land department.

Was the healthy premium HonorHealth bid over the appraisal value a good deal or not for Arizona land stewardship in exchange for the land sitting unused for a longer than preferred period of time? Don't know the answer to that, but would be interested in reading any financial analysis.

 

[Fenway]

We have been through a lot in this megathread and I hoped that Arizona could stabilize as Carolina finally did but there was always something.

I have been to 7 Bruins games in Arizona at all 3 arenas and the atmosphere was fine in part because Boston travels well. Been to 2 Super Bowls in Glendale and learned that people in the East Valley considered Glendale part of Los Angeles.

A stadium in the wrong part of town can derail a franchise as we have seen with the Montreal Expos, Cleveland Barons, Tampa Bay Rays, and Florida Panthers just to name a few. The Bruins almost moved to New Hampshire in the 80s.

Every hockey fan knows Quebec City should be in the NHL but it's not going to happen now that Bettman has placed a BILLION+ dollar price tag on a franchise.

I think most of us at BoH will concede Atlanta 3.0 is worth the gamble. Houston should work but the Rockets owner didn't want to pay what the NHL was asking.

As I said earlier in this thread in the end the NHL BoG will look at anyone that writes a check that will not bounce.

I feel for Yotes fans.

 

[hangman005]

We have been through a lot in this megathread and I hoped that Arizona could stabilize as Carolina finally did but there was always something.

I have been to 7 Bruins games in Arizona at all 3 arenas and the atmosphere was fine in part because Boston travels well. Been to 2 Super Bowls in Glendale and learned that people in the East Valley considered Glendale part of Los Angeles.

A stadium in the wrong part of town can derail a franchise as we have seen with the Montreal Expos, Cleveland Barons, Tampa Bay Rays, and Florida Panthers just to name a few. The Bruins almost moved to New Hampshire in the 80s.

Every hockey fan knows Quebec City should be in the NHL but it's not going to happen now that Bettman has placed a BILLION+ dollar price tag on a franchise.

I think most of us at BoH will concede Atlanta 3.0 is worth the gamble. Houston should work but the Rockets owner didn't want to pay what the NHL was asking.

As I said earlier in this thread in the end the NHL BoG will look at anyone that writes a check that will not bounce.

I feel for Yotes fans.

Wasn't alway the case though... where is Spano when you need him Honestly it some how doesn't seem right that he wasn't involved in THIS mess

 

[Fenway]

Wasn't alway the case though... where is Spano when you need him Honestly it some how doesn't seem right that he wasn't involved in THIS mess

@hangman005

Spano not only conned Bettman and company he also destroyed the credibility of Fleet Bank which wound up being gobbled up by Bank of America. I honestly don't understand how Bettman wasn't fired over that fiasco.

 

[OG6ix]

You really mean to say Steve Ellman didn’t deliver.

As much as Glendale has had their share of things that can be criticized … this wasn’t one of them.

That was the beginning of the end. Didn't his partner want to move to scottsdale and pulled out after Ellman chose westgate? I remember reading a quote that the other partner said it wasn't going to work in glendale.

 

[MaskedSonja]

Joyce Clark....to quote a certain jedi..."thats a name Ive not heard in a long time......." that brought back some memories in the wayback machine.

 

[Mightygoose]

Joyce Clark....to quote a certain jedi..."thats a name Ive not heard in a long time......." that brought back some memories in the wayback machine.

It brings back a time where Clarkanomics became a vernacular native only to these series of threads!

 

[Skidooboy]

According to insiders...for some involved there is little confidence that Muerello can hit the benchmarks the league is demanding before the coyotes come back.

Around 20:10

32 Thoughts: The Podcast

Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Tawnos]

btw….. just clarifying that the laugh wasn’t at you, Llama… it was for Joyce Clark.

I was reading that feeling like I was in "takes one to know one" territory.

 

[GKJ]

According to insiders...for some involved there is little confidence that Muerello can hit the benchmarks the league is demanding before the coyotes come back.

Around 20:10

32 Thoughts: The Podcast

Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

www.sportsnet.ca

We were into this in depth yesterday

 

[Tawnos]

I do feel like we're now in a situation that we're going to be clarifying on BoH forever, just like the myth that Atlanta failed as a market. That's because it involves a technicialty.

This isn't a relocation. It's a deactivation of one franchise and the expansion of another where, in lieu of a traditional expansion draft, the expansion team is getting all of the players from the deactivated franchise.

You're already seeing this issue in the reactions. They're totally understandable. I'm just saying it's going to be something that the various members of this board are going to have to clarify repeatedly.