Coyotes Arena Situation - Part 2(weeks) - Arena Site Chosen?

[_Del_]

Deferring money on Shane Doan's deal has allowed us to funnel that much more money into the stadium project with our partners who we are so close to a deal with that we refuse to name them. We have plenty of money. Don't you worry about that. We'll have a lower actual salary cost than last year, despite making a special point of mentioning we have lots of money to spend and are disappointed we didn't spend even more when firing our last general manager.
I know we said we'd fill you in in May and again in June, but things with our unnamed partners at an unnamed location are definitely on track. If there's one thing you can believe it's that we have plenty of money. Total nonfactor. Deals almost done.

P.S. I couldn't help but notice you all haven't renewed your season tickets. Please consider doing that. We'll remind you again in four days. But not because we need your money.

 

[rt]

^ yep. I'd rather it be Quebec than Las Vegas or Seattle anyway.

 

[Sinurgy]

^ yep. I'd rather it be Quebec than Las Vegas or Seattle anyway.

I'd rather Seattle or KC than Quebec, at least I would actually consider going to a game in those places (assuming I don't just bail on the NHL at that point).

 

[_Del_]

I don't know QC and Montreal are beautiful. It's not that much more from a a trip planning perspective. Really, if they have to leave, I wish they had gone back to the Peg. At this point I don't care where they would go. I'd just revert to having a WC team and a EC team to follow.

 

[XX]

I don't know QC and Montreal are beautiful. It's not that much more from a a trip planning perspective. Really, if they have to leave, I wish they had gone back to the Peg. At this point I don't care where they would go. I'd just revert to having a WC team and a EC team to follow.

QC would be amazing. Instant top tier support, cap team, beautiful venue. It'd be surreal to go from a zero effort ownership group to a maximum effort one. If they're going to go, it may as well be to a place that flat out deserves a team. Plus the jerseys would be fantastic, and I'd be forced to learn a new language.

Portland is my second choice.

 

[0point1]

Uh oh... talk of Quebec again. Ownership you're losing the Yotes board on HF Boards again... quick do another press release. That will shut us up for two more weeks.

 

[rt]

I'd rather Seattle or KC than Quebec, at least I would actually consider going to a game in those places (assuming I don't just bail on the NHL at that point).

Kansas City is more appealing to you as a vacation destination than Quebec City?

 

[MIGs Dog]

Kansas City is more appealing to you as a vacation destination than Quebec City?

It is the city of fountains, great BBQ, no passport required, and your dollar goes further.

 

[rt]

It is the city of fountains, great BBQ, no passport required, and your dollar goes further.

Joke?

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Joke?

Everything he said is on the money. KC is a great city. I go there all the time. That's where I'd want them to move to if they left Arizona which I don't forsee happening

 

[MIGs Dog]

Joke?

Tongue in cheek, but all true. QC is probably great as well, but KC has a lot to offer. I predict they will have an NHL team one day.

 

[Ebb]

I'd rather Seattle or KC than Quebec, at least I would actually consider going to a game in those places (assuming I don't just bail on the NHL at that point).

I doubt we'll be moving any time soon, but in terms of my personal preference (as in I would plan a trip to travel and catch some games), my picks would be:

Portland
Seattle
Houston (might go)
QC (probably wouldn't visit)
KC (I already escaped the MidWest once and don't plan on vacationing in the area any time soon)​

From my last research, there are only 4 cites with an NHL-ready arena. Organized by capacity:

Portland (seats 18,280)
Quebec City (seats 18,259)
Houston (seats 17,800)
Kansas City (seats 17,500)​

Seattle is currently out since they don't have an arena, but the money is in place, so if a struggling team needs to move after next season, they could possibly get one built by the 2017-2018 season, but I'd guess some of the above locations would get the moving team first (although I guess whichever potential owner/group has the most money is the one that would get it).

It's a pretty easy call; if a team is severely struggling in the Eastern Conference, they can move to Quebec City (if they have an investor in place). If there is a struggling team in the Western Conference, Portland, Houston, or Kansas City gain priority (again depending on which location's owner could come up with the money).

In terms of expansion, whichever Western location can come up with the expansion money should be fine. Of course, I guess it would be nice for Seattle to get the next expansion since they could sort of start from scratch (not having to negotiate contracts for arena use as a part of some bigger deal similar to what they tried to do here a while back).

 

[strizzy16]

I hope they make Seattle the 32nd team thru expansion. Its a pretty good sports town and the Sonics never should have left, but i can't see NBA coming back there any time soon so i think their fans would really gravitate towards hockey.

The interesting part about that would be if one of Seattle or Portland is added, would the Coyotes get moved to the Central if they are still in AZ? that would make the most geographical sense.

 

[Coyotes2000]

Do you guys honestly not understand the importance of secrecy? With major players in play to close a deal needs to take place between legal channels and closed doors until a deal is framed and approved by all parties.

Relax

 

[Jakey53]

Do you guys honestly not understand the importance of secrecy? With major players in play to close a deal needs to take place between legal channels and closed doors until a deal is framed and approved by all parties.

Relax

It would be my guess they don't understand, otherwise you wouldn't be reading such garbage.

 

[_Del_]

So we're over a year in and have no agreement in place or even framed. But hey, no reasonable person would have doubts at this point.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Do you guys honestly not understand the importance of secrecy? With major players in play to close a deal needs to take place between legal channels and closed doors until a deal is framed and approved by all parties.

Relax

If there was good news to announce, it would be released. Therefore, the interpretation of silence is that nothing has been finalized. Does not mean there won't be, but as of right now, it ain't done.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Confidentiality for business legalities is one thing.

The silence surrounding the new arena deal process is not that thing.

For instance, the setting up of a tax district to help fund the arena build is a public initiative that will have to clear a bunch of red tape if it passes at all. That implies public referendum, votes, and navigating the governmental labyrinth to push the measure through. So even if there are contractual nondisclosures in place, we SHOULD have heard something about the public tax/subsidy creation efforts.

THAT is the silence that roars the loudest to me.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I know we're all used to going through "will we still be here next year?" every year, but right now I really believe what will happen will be a series of short term leases at GRA until they figure it out.

Others disagree with this assessment, and that's fine. You have your reasons.

(unfortunately, the perceived silence does lead to the annoying cacophony of "are we there yet?" "are we there yet?" "are we there yet?"... <groan> )

 

[XX]

There will have to be a short term lease with GRA anyways. Downtown isn't an option (Sarver blocking) and neither is pissing money away on the VMC.

 

[crazyhockeylover96]

1. Put a deal together to purchase an ECHL team to move to the VMC.
2. Agree to purchase/renovate VMC to whatever ECHL standards are.
3. Gets some sweetened gentleman's agreement deal from PHX

Should be easily completed in 2 weeks.

 

[Plub]

^ yep. I'd rather it be Quebec than Las Vegas or Seattle anyway.

Why? It'd be horrendous as a fan of the team if they went there.

I'm happy with them going anywhere in the states, though.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

If they stay in the states I'll stay on as a fan. Might latch onto Las Vegas more but I'll still root for this franchise. If they go to Quebec then they can **** right off

 

[rt]

Why? It'd be horrendous as a fan of the team if they went there.

I'm happy with them going anywhere in the states, though.

Games would be on earlier. It's a place that would actually be cool to visit. There'd be a large, ravenous fan-base and subsequent financial flexibility to be a cap team with a big boy budget.

The same is probably not true for brand-new markets like Kansas City or Portland. Though, Portland is undeserved, so that could help. Still, I don't imagine it doing any better there than it does here, despite it being less sunny and warm (there isn't more of youth hockey tradition there than there is here, same for KC and Seattle).

Milwaukee could work in the hockey-culture respect, but it's a small market that already has the Brewers and the Bucks in town. Being the third wheel in a small town doesn't bode well.

Seattle is fine because it's big and rich but but NHL immediately starts out as the least popular major league sport there (which really becomes a problem if the Sonics come back). At that point it's no different than Phoenix. Seattle is not inherently more hockey inclined because it's colder and less sunny than Phoenix. The game has grown here (albeit very, very slowly) for two decades. It'll take at least as long to progress as far in Seattle, Portland, or KC.

 

[rt]

If they stay in the states I'll stay on as a fan. Might latch onto Las Vegas more but I'll still root for this franchise. If they go to Quebec then they can **** right off

I don't get it. Most of the players on the team are from Canada. So is the coaching staff, the management group, and the ownership group.