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I want the Coyotes to stay in Arizona. It is a surprisingly robust hockey market. I’ve been there and seen it for myself. It works. Allow me to clarify, it works if you have good ownership and competent leadership. Something sorely lacking in the desert.
That can be seen once again with the franchise’s new stadium plans which were required after the team bungled attempts in its preferred locations of Tempe. However, there is a BIG Problem with the Arizona Coyotes new arena plans and those in charge aren’t smart enough to realize it.
The Arizona Coyotes don’t want to build a new arena. They want to build a new mixed-use development with hotels, retail space, offices, residential and just about every other type of real estate you can profit from. This is made evident in the team’s leaked renderings for a new facility in North Phoenix which is a sprawling project.
This, of course, is similar to what ownership wanted to do in Tempe with “Tempe Entertainment District”, another large-scale, mixed-use development. This wouldn’t be an issue if the Coyotes had time on their side to navigate the complexities of this. If they wanted to try this in 2015, so be it.
The Arizona Coyotes should be focused on one thing and one thing only. Building an arena for the hockey team. Hotels and restaurants next door do not matter right now. There is no need to overcomplicate this with add-ons which are ultimately irrelevant when it comes to keeping the hockey team in town.
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3 Comments
I am sure they will build the arena first , the rest can come later
I thought the NHL allowing the Yotes playing at Mullett was the most bizarre outcome in pro sports while it was to buy time for an arena on its way in Tempe. Since that was voted out and they have not yet secured land to build, how much time left is remaining? NHL will always say no timeline and it's fine. If Meruelo had that much capital, why didn't they simply pay taxes and dues at Glendale?
I for one really hope that the Coyotes will stay in Arizona and build their own arena