Ultimate blow to the Coyotes!

I cannot imagine that there is any hope left in Arizona to get the Coyotes back. A few months ago, the Arizona Coyotes were sold to the NBA’s Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith who was acquired the team’s existing hockey assets – including its full Reserve List, roster of Players and draft picks and its Hockey Operations Department.

Since then, owner Alex Meruelo has remained committed to win the auction and develop the land into an unrivalled sports, lifestyle and entertainment district without taxpayer funding.

Until today.

On Friday, it was announced that “the Arizona State Land Dept. has canceled the June 27 auction for land targeted by Coyotes to build a new arena in Phoenix.”

“It requests the Coyotes obtain a Special Use Permit, a requirement for proposed arena, before working to bring the land back to auction at a later date.”

I feel like they should give up already…

It was recently reported that the June 27 land auction in Phoenix already had four bidders registered including Meruelo at the starting bid is $68.5 million. Now with the delay, could there be more bidders added to the mix.
Meruelo made the statement back in April on how he plans to bringing the Coyotes back to Arizona.

“Arizona is our home and an incredible market where the Coyotes belong,” Meruelo said in a statement. “This district would provide a beautiful home for the Arizona Coyotes for decades to come. Our loyal fans deserve this vibrant gathering place that would serve as a landmark to create lifelong memories.”

The Coyotes’ announcement for a proposed arena and district include:

• 17,000-seat capacity for NHL games and about 1,500 extra temporary seats for non-hockey events;
• A 150,000-square-foot practice facility and headquarters;
• 400,000 square feet of retail space and a multi-purpose watch party plaza;
• A live music theater for 3,000 concertgoers
•  About 1,900 luxury residential units;
• 10,800 new permanent jobs the Coyotes say this proposed development would create;
• $15.5 billion generated in new spending over the next 30 years;
• $581 million in new tax revenues for Phoenix and $232 million in new tax revenues for Maricopa County
• More than $100 million worth of infrastructure improvements the Coyotes say will “unlock thousands of acres of land around the property” that the Arizona State Land Department can sell later on;
• “No burden placed on taxpayers,” said Meruelo.

But it seems more and more far-fetched now.

The Coyotes responded with this statement: