Three months after voters in Tempe defeated a proposal to build a new arena for the Arizona Coyotes, the hockey team is contemplating the purchase of a new site some 6 miles to the east in Mesa.
The earlier proposal called for the construction not only of an arena, but also a surrounding 46-acre entertainment district, and was expected to cost around $2.1 billion to complete.
Three questions on the May ballot in Tempe would have allowed for construction of the new Coyotes home, and all three were rejected by margins of better than 12%.
Objections to the project largely centered on the granting of city tax incentives designed to get the entertainment district and arena built, with one group attacking billionaire Alex Muerillo, owner of the Coyotes, with the slogan “No New Handouts for Billionaires.”
Now, according to reports, the Coyotes are looking at a 41-acre site on the northwest side of Mesa as a potential new home, with the goal of building an arena and entertainment district still intact.
In a statement, the Coyotes said they “remain committed to building the first privately funded sports facility in Arizona history.”
To that end Muerillo has disclosed a letter of intent to purchase the Mesa site, although the exact terms in that document have not been revealed.
The team is thought to also be looking at five other sites in the Mesa area for a possible new home.
Crucial at this point is the fact that the none of the sites in Mesa would require voter approval to build the project.
Speaking to reporters, Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez remarked: “We still want to put our money where our mouth is and build something that will be best in class, and, finally, to all the fans, we are committed to making this happen.”
By Garry Boulard
