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

[Edenjung]

It's awesome to see the team in a location with more than a few dozen fans. Looks like this team will actually be appreciated in SLC.

Dude its always like that.
Thats called honeymoon phase. Give it a few years and it will go down.
If they have success it will take longer. But even the Hawks had a lot of years in which the fans did not show up.
So instead of jumping to conclusions over short term turn ups, you should wait and see.

 

[King_Stannis]

I was here the day the bankruptcy was announced and now, finally, the odyssey is over - 15 years later.

Wow. I was in my 30's when it all began, now I'm nearing retirement.

 

[Llama19]

NHL Coyotes leave Arizona. What will happen to their event wagering license?

To quote:

"The Arizona Department of Gaming told iGB via e-mail that neither the team nor SaharaBets had been in contact. The NHL is calling the Coyotes franchise “inactive” and the sale to a Utah-based group is a bit unusual, as current owner Alex Meruelo retained rights to the name, team IP, records and the AHL Roadrunners affiliate franchise.

It appears that unless the Coyotes or SaharaBets makes formal contact with ADOG, the site will remain live. In this situation, ADOG doesn’t appear to have a way to take action. Rather, the state legislature could clarify language saying that a team must be active to have an Arizona event wagering license.

So far, only eight professional sports team licenses have been claimed, and it appears that no other franchises in the state meet the qualifications. The law allows for teams that play “at the highest level” of their sport in Arizona to qualify.

It appears that as owner of the franchise, even if it is inactive, Meruelo can continue to operate SaharaBets, which has been live for two years and has paid the state $48,000 in taxes."

Source: igamingbusiness.com/sports-betting/coyotes-leave-arizona-event-wagering-licesne/

 

[dj4aces]

I was here the day the bankruptcy was announced and now, finally, the odyssey is over - 15 years later.

Wow. I was in my 30's when it all began, now I'm nearing retirement.

The five year window is open. If anything, the odyssey has only just begun.

 

[aqib]

It's absolutely hilarious that nobody balked at public money to go towards renovations at Footprint, a new baseball stadium, or a new football stadium using public funds. Now, a developer is trying to put up his own money, and just trying to add a tax(in the district itself, not anywhere else) to help recoup the costs, people are balking at it.

Because no one believes this charlatan is real.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Bucs good for the bucs and the line

 

[GKJ]

I was here the day the bankruptcy was announced and now, finally, the odyssey is over - 15 years later.

Wow. I was in my 30's when it all began, now I'm nearing retirement.

Time exists only to betray us

 

[TheLegend]

Because no one believes this charlatan is real.

Not the actual reason but certainly sounds good for this thread.

 

[Llama19]

‘We’re back in the NHL again.’ Utah already feels like home for ex-Coyotes

To quote:

"Bettman convinced a headstrong, incompetent and litigious owner in Alex Meruelo to relinquish control of his baby in exchange for $1 billion and a seemingly flimsy option (dare?) to get a franchise back somehow, someday. And he flipped a problem child, by far the weakest link in a 32-team chain, into a burgeoning and affluent market in the hands of a young and energetic billionaire owner. This isn’t just going to work. It’s as sure as a Karl Malone rebound."

Source: www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/were-back-in-the-nhl-again-utah-already-feels-like-home-for-ex-coyotes

 

[KevFu]

I was here the day the bankruptcy was announced and now, finally, the odyssey is over - 15 years later.

Wow. I was in my 30's when it all began, now I'm nearing retirement.

 

[Llama19]

With Arizona Coyotes gone, $40M makeover of Glendale's Desert Diamond Arena starts soon. What's in store?

To quote:

"A $40 million renovation plan at Desert Diamond Arena will get underway in June, as the city and ASM Global, the venue-management company leasing the 20-year-old facility, are looking to modernize the hockey team’s former home and improve event-goers’ experiences.

“Let's get away from the past, and I think that's been our focus,” ASM General Manager Dale Adams told Glendale leaders on Tuesday. “The past is the past, it's 20 years, we're done with it. Let's move forward and see what we can do.”

To signify the new era for the arena, it’s getting a makeover, both inside and out.

The renovations, Adams said, are “all about improving customer service, improving revenues, and making it a better experience for everybody and modernizing the building a bit.”

With that goal in mind, much of the interior upgrades are focused on creating club- and bar-like atmospheres throughout the stadium and streamlining and expanding food and beverage purchases with grab-and-go concession areas.

“Quick — get ‘em in, get ‘em out, get ‘em back to their seat,” Adams said.

Areas like the storage tunnel that the Coyotes used will be turned into a grab-and-go convenience market. Existing concession stands in the main concourse will also be remodeled and repurposed for the grab-and-go concept.

The former team merchandise store will become a meeting and banquet room.

One aspect of the building that Adams is eager to remove is the outer metal gates that adorn the entrance.

“They drive me crazy,” he said, referring to the aesthetic feature as “penitentiary gates.”"

Source: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2024/04/26/glendale-is-giving-20-year-old-desert-diamond-arena-a-40-million-makeover/73411876007/

 

[LadyStanley]

Former employee offers some suggestions to Meruelo

 

[TheLegend]

Quick — get ‘em in, get ‘em out, get ‘em back to their seat,” Adams said.

Areas like the storage tunnel that the Coyotes used will be turned into a grab-and-go convenience market. Existing concession stands in the main concourse will also be remodeled and repurposed for the grab-and-go concept.

So they’re spending $40 million in turning DDA into a CircleK?

 

[TheLegend]

Former employee offers some suggestions to Meruelo

FYI…. Steve Peters was the Coyotes video coach for 20+ years but his contract was not renewed soon after Bill Armstrong took over as GM in 2020.

 

[dj4aces]

So they’re spending $40 million in turning DDA into a CircleK?

I read that line and thought "Really? They're turning the arena into a McDonalds?"

Will employees be timed and punished if someone's hotdog is five seconds late?

 

[TheLegend]

I read that line and thought "Really? They're turning the arena into a McDonalds?"

Will employees be timed and punished if someone's hotdog is five seconds late?

They’ve been trying real hard to paint a rosy picture out of it but all they’re doing is spreading the pain out.

They’ll eventually get out of it. Unless Meruelo does come through and gets the Coyotes back up in the next five years. Then it’s going to get interesting.

 

[dj4aces]

They’ve been trying real hard to paint a rosy picture out of it but all they’re doing is spreading the pain out.

They’ll eventually get out of it. Unless Meruelo does come through and gets the Coyotes back up in the next five years. Then it’s going to get interesting.

I have absolutely zero faith in the ability of Meruelo to get it done... but I'd love to be proven wrong. I'd like to see Coyotes 1.0.1 visiting Thrashers 2.0 sooner, rather than later!

 

[TheLegend]

I have absolutely zero faith in the ability of Meruelo to get it done... but I'd love to be proven wrong. I'd like to see Coyotes 1.0.1 visiting Thrashers 2.0 sooner, rather than later!

League thinks the same. But never underestimate someone who has enough money and the will to spend it just to prove something.

 

[aqib]

So they’re spending $40 million in turning DDA into a CircleK?

Ok I have to ask, what is the obsession on the PHNX podcast with Circle K. I know what Circle K is I just don't get why it comes up so much.

FYI…. Steve Peters was the Coyotes video coach for 20+ years but his contract was not renewed soon after Bill Armstrong took over as GM in 2020.

What does a video coach do?

 

[TheLegend]

Ok I have to ask, what is the obsession on the PHNX podcast with Circle K. I know what Circle K is I just don't get why it comes up so much.

CircleK is a sponsor.

What does a video coach do?

Sits in a room with several video screens and looks for possible challenge situations.

Also supplies replay up to the iPads on the bench.

 

[KevFu]

What does a video coach do?

Every team uses video to see what they're doing right/wrong and do things better... The video coach is a hybrid of a hockey coach and tech specialist. They use software to "code" or mark plays as the game is going on, so that every play is indexed and databased for coaching use.

Depending on their skill set and relationship/dynamic with the rest of the coaches, they can bring things to the coaches/players that they notice, OR they just prepare the coaching staff to teach/instruct using video.

Different teams have different levels of autonomy/responsibility. Some video coaches are like "a legit coach who's also tech savvy" and other video coaches are like "a tech guy who doesn't know coaching." (This is based really on my experience with college teams in all sports more than specifically hockey).

 

[aqib]

They’ve been trying real hard to paint a rosy picture out of it but all they’re doing is spreading the pain out.

They’ll eventually get out of it. Unless Meruelo does come through and gets the Coyotes back up in the next five years. Then it’s going to get interesting.

Well they won't be paying management fees anymore and they will be done with bond payments in 2033. So it looks like they've minimized the pain of a bad decision. Even if AM does get his arena built ASM will own Glendale's arena so they will be booking shows there. You've got Footprint downtown so what's going to be left for AM? How many three arena markets do you have other than LA and NY?

 

[TheLegend]

Well they won't be paying management fees anymore and they will be done with bond payments in 2033. So it looks like they've minimized the pain of a bad decision. Even if AM does get his arena built ASM will own Glendale's arena so they will be booking shows there. You've got Footprint downtown so what's going to be left for AM? How many three arena markets do you have other than LA and NY?

Location, location, location.

Had TED been built Meruelo would be in a better position given the close proximity to the airport and hotels.

That was another factor in Phoenix not wanting to see TED built.

At least being up in the NE Phoenix area he’s close to what would be the second most active area in the metro for for large events (which all happen to be in Scottsdale, hence the mayor’s recent objections.). More money in the area, etc. Phoenix gets the benefits of it (instead of Tempe).

Leaving Glendale, still way out west to fend for itself. VAI Resort should give them a boost but it’s delayed getting open (already a year behind and the late 2024 opening date is not looking promising either).

But it still all depends on what happens June 27th.

 

[LadyStanley]

How many three arena markets do you have other than LA and NY?

Hello from Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, Greatest Arena on Earth. ** = arena/sports capable

LVMS 80k (EDC, etc, probably closer to 100k) outdoor **
Allegiant Stadium 65k **
New Athletics Stadium under construction 33k **
TMobile Arena 20k **
The Sphere 20k
OEG NBA Arena under construction 20k **
Thomas & Mack 17.2k **
MGM Garden Arena 17k **
LV Ballpark 15k outdoor **
Mandalay Bay 12k **
Cashman 10k outdoor/2k indoor **
Orleans 9k **
Zappos 7k
Lee's Family Forum 5.6k **
Park Theatre 5.3k
Resorts World 5k
South Point 4.6k **
Coliseum 4.3k
Virgin 3.8k
Cox Pavilion 3.1k **
Chelsea 3k
Pearl 2.6k
Smith Center, Reynolds Hall 2.05k
Cirque du Soleil Ka theatre 1.95k
Cirque du Soleil Love theatre 2k
Cirque du Soleil MJ One theatre 1.8k
Cirque du Soleil Mystere theatre 1.6k
Cirque du Soleil O theatre 1.8k
Venetian 1.8k

Plus dozens of under 1k venues.

 

[LT]

Vegas is even more of an anomaly than LA and NYC.

I imagine Chicago is up there too.