Report: Coyotes will have their final option to remain in Arizona rejected

This team is DONE in the desert. Pack it up, Mr. Bettman.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 2 years ago
Report: Coyotes will have their final option to remain in Arizona rejected
Zuma Press

This just in, the Arizona Coyotes will have their $1.7 billion plan to build a new arena in the city of Tempe, Arizona denied by city council. 

From local Phoenix, Arizona publisher GoPHNX:

The Coyotes’ hopes for building a $1.7 billion arena and entertainment district in Tempe are teetering on a razor’s edge. Two sources with knowledge of the situation said that the Coyotes do not currently have the votes in the Tempe City Council to approve the project and move forward, although it should be noted that the proposal did not die in a recent executive session in December.

Per those sources, there are three yes votes, two no votes and two votes that are undecided, but leaning toward no after the Coyotes’ recent failure to pay taxes and bills came to light.

- GoPHNX

The reservation from Tempe councilors are mostly, and quite understandably so, due to the team's late rent and tax bills that went public last month. You may recall that Katie Strang of The Athletic reported that the team owed as much as $1.3 million in back taxes to the city of Glendale and the state of Arizona and a further $900,000+ to the Gila River Arena in past due rent. The club had until December 21st, 2021 to pay both of these bills or they faced eviction for the month of January.

According to all reports the Coyotes paid off their debts, albeit nearly two weeks later than they said they would.

From Coyotes PR on December 9th, 2021:

“We have already launched an investigation to determine how this could have happened and initial indications are that it appears to be the result of an unfortunate human error. Regardless, we deeply regret the inconvenience this has caused. 

"We will make sure that by tomorrow morning, the Arizona Coyotes are current on all of our bills and owe no state or local taxes whatsoever. And we will take immediate steps to ensure that nothing like this can ever possibly happen again.”

That bill wasn't paid until December 20th, despite the fact that the team said it would be paid in full on December 10th. 

Of course, the Coyotes are already without a home for the 2022-23 season after effectively being kicked out of Gila River Arena and the city of Glendale by Glendale city council. Now the team is hoping to move to Tempe, but it's clear that Tempe is looking at what's happened to Glendale and is getting cold feet. Again, understandably.

Honestly... how long are we going to continue trying to make hockey in the Arizona desert work? This is a team that has struggled to pay its bills for nearly three decades now... just move them somewhere where they'll actually be appreciated and can turn a profit.

Source: GoPHNX