Twenty-eight years ago, when the Arizona Coyotes were established in the Grand Canyon state, it was the dawn of a new era. The Kachina was born, and all-time greats such as Shane Doan, Jeremy Roenick, and Teppo Numminen rose up and created hockey as we know it in Arizona. While sustaining success and building a long-term contender has been one thing, the team has had its issues finding a permanent home.
Not too long ago, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan wrote, “Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez told PHNX Sports on Tuesday that the team expects to announce its chosen arena site by the end of the calendar year, or shortly thereafter.”
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Now that we are nearly a month into 2024 and closing in on the All-Star Break, the fans want updates, which have been scarce. Rarely, if ever, owner Alex Meruelo speaks to the public or media, leaving more questions than answers. While president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez does most of the talking, it’s been a while since fans have heard from him. It’s mostly outside noise spreading false and inaccurate reports.
So, let’s look at the timeline of the Coyotes’ recent arena woes and how the lack of transparency gives fans less hope of finding a permanent home in the Valley.
Tempe Vote Stirred the Pot
When the Tempe Entertainment District (TED) was first proposed, it sounded like a great idea – to bring hockey fans together in the Valley and unite Coyotes fans. It also would’ve solved a two-plus decade issue of constant rumors floating around the team. Then came utter shock and disbelief; the vote was rejected with resounding numbers, and the Coyotes’ future loomed large.
“We are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve Propositions 301, 302 and 303,” Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez said. “As Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said, it was the best sports deal in Arizona history. What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks.”
Most of the fanbase seemingly lost touch with the current ownership group as questions arose about how good their marketing campaign was. Once someone tells someone something, even if it’s false, it’s hard to change their mind, and in this case, it seems like just that happened. The TED didn’t work, and from that point on, the Coyotes fanbase has been given…
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