Glendale terminating Coyotes’ arena lease after 2021-22 season
The City of Glendale is terminating the Arizona Coyotes’ lease for the city-owned Gila River Arena, leaving the NHL franchise without a home after the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Why?
“With an increased focus on larger, more impactful events and uses of the city-owned arena, the city of Glendale has chosen to not renew the operating agreement for the Arizona Coyotes beyond the coming 2021-22 season,” a statement from the city reads.
What else caused this decision?
According to reporting by Katie Strang of The Athletic, the decision comes after “stalled negotiations” between the city and team over a lease extension and potential renovations to the arena. But “multiple notices” of unpaid bills by the team to the city also contributed to the parting of ways.
Unpaid? How much?
Public records obtained by Strang show that Phelps informed the arena’s management company, ASM Global, that the team owed $1,462,792 to the arena as of July 17.
I am surprised by this amount, and that the owners could not cover their rent. Guess they were hoping for the same “eviction ban” that everyone else seems to be getting in the us.
In a statement, the Coyotes expressed their disappointment with the announcement from the city of Glendale and said they remain committed to keeping the team in Arizona.
And go where?
The decision will renew discussion around the hockey world over the team’s long-term future in the state of Arizona. One option, if the team were to be relocated, is Quebec City, which applied for an expansion franchise in 2015 and is home to the Vidéotron Centre which opened in 2015.
Back into Phoenix? (And the Footprint Center? with the NBA Suns?)
I can see a move to San Antonio or better yet Houston if going back to Phoenix fails.
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