The Arizona State Land Department recently made a decision to cancel a land auction that was crucial for the Arizona Coyotes’ owner, Alex Meruelo, to reactivate his dormant NHL franchise. The Coyotes franchise was rendered inactive as part of a sale that transferred their hockey assets to Smith Entertainment Group in Utah. The condition for reactivating the franchise was for Meruelo to construct a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team within five years. The Coyotes had identified a 95-acre parcel of land in north Phoenix as a potential location for the new arena, which was set to be the future home of the team. However, the cancellation of the land auction has thrown a wrench in their plans and jeopardized the return of NHL hockey to the desert.
The ASLD’s reasoning behind the cancellation of the land auction was related to the type of hockey arena that Meruelo intended to build on the land. While the land was already zoned for an indoor hockey arena, it did not cover the construction of a 17,000-seat NHL arena, with the capacity potentially expanding to 18,500 for other events. The ASLD determined that a Special Use Permit would be required for the proposed arena, which led to the decision to request the applicant to file for and receive the permit before proceeding with the auction. This requirement is not uncommon for the ASLD, but it has raised concerns and frustration among the Coyotes organization.
In response to the cancellation of the land auction, the Arizona Coyotes released a statement expressing their disappointment and frustration with the ASLD’s decision. They described the cancellation as a “shortsighted decision” that jeopardized the future of NHL hockey returning to the desert. The Coyotes had been actively planning for over a year and believed they were on track to win the auction before it was abruptly called off. The organization accused the state of forgoing potentially millions, if not billions, of dollars that would have been directed towards K-12 education as a result of the cancellation.
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega weighed in on the controversy surrounding the land auction cancellation, pointing out the “questionable zoning entitlement” of the land prior to the auction. He criticized Meruelo’s plans for a new arena as a “fantasy hockey proposal” and suggested that it was merely a smokescreen as the owner exited after running the franchise. These comments shed light on the political complexities and skepticism surrounding the Coyotes’ efforts to secure a new arena and reactivate the franchise.
The cancellation of the Arizona Coyotes’ land auction represents a significant setback for the team’s plans to establish a new home and bring NHL hockey back to the desert. The ASLD’s decision to require a Special Use Permit for the proposed arena has created uncertainty and challenges for the franchise, leading to frustration and legal threats from the Coyotes organization. The future of the team remains in limbo as they navigate these obstacles and seek alternative solutions to secure a permanent location for their NHL games.
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