Mayor of Arizona rips apart the Coyotes
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The Arizona Coyotes potentially have found a new home in Arizona with a land auction to be held in June for an area just outside Scottsdale. However, Scottsdale's Mayor is highly opposed to the project.
The area of land that will be going to auction this summer is located just off loop 101 and Scottsdale road, just outside Scottsdale city limits. The land is within the city limits of Phoenix itself, giving Arizona's largest city jurisdiction over the area. That being said, the neighboring suburb is apparently not thrilled about the possibility of an NHL building right next door.
"[...] Not feasible, or welcome."
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega strongly opposes the Arizona Coyotes' potential move to Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road, bordering the city.
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega strongly opposes the Arizona Coyotes' potential move to Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road, bordering the city.
He also notes that the area is not feasible or safe for the project. It is in a high-traffic area and there is currently no infrastructure to bring water to the site. It seems that Ortega will not be allowing the developers to tap into Scottsdale's infrastructure to bring plumbing on site, forcing them to rely on Phoenix's system instead. This is less practical and likely more expensive.
"Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega is telling the Arizona Coyotes that the team is not welcome to bring their proposed arena to the northern edge of Scottsdale. "
NHL insider Frank Seravalli was the first source within the NHL to report this news. He added words from the mayor that might concern Coyotes fans. It seems that he is going to do everything in his power to prevent the deal from going through.
Scottsdale mayor says in op-ed he won't support #Yotes proposed new arena site with infrastructure assets.
"The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy [land] ... at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome."
"The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy [land] ... at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome."
This is just the latest hurdle the Coyotes have had to go through to stay in Arizona. Whether or not they are ultimately capable of pulling off this plan remains to be seen.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 8 | 88 ANSWERS Mayor of Arizona rips apart the Coyotes Do you think the Coyotes will eventually be relocated outside of Arizona? | ||
| Yes | 78 | 88.6 % |
| No | 10 | 11.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
