Scottsdale Mayor Not Big On Plans For Coyotes New Arena

Few teams have had arena headaches like the Arizona Coyotes over the years. That looks to continue after the team announced plans to buy land at auction in Phoenix and build an arena and entertainment district on it.

However, this plan is not sitting well with the mayor of neighboring Scottsdale.

Mayor David Ortega wrote a scathing rebuke of the team's plans in an opinion piece published by Arizona Digital Free Press titled, "Ortega: I am in opposition to the proposed Arizona Coyotes arena location."

There was little if any room for interpretation.

"The proposed Phoenix version — bordering Scottsdale — was presented without mention of market demand for a new entertainment venue disguised as a hockey arena, or congested highway access, or questionable arena zoning entitlement," Ortega wrote. "And the glitzy proposal was portrayed as the last gasp to keep hockey in Arizona.

"The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy Arizona State Trust Land with absolutely no infrastructure on the Phoenix side of Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road intersection at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome."

He's not wrong. Ortega mentioned in the first paragraph of the piece that the ‘Yotes’ previous attempt to build an arena in Tempe was shot down by voters, which has left the team scrambling for ways to stay in Arizona.

Arizona has made it clear that they'll do what it takes to stay in town, which is kind of ironic since the playbook these days calls for teams to threaten relocation for no arena.

It would appear the Coyotes don't have the leverage to use that tactic.

While Ortega noted his admiration for hockey and the work the Coyotes have done in the community, he slammed what he dubbed the "fantasy hockey project."

"I admire the hockey sport, Arizona Coyotes community involvement and phenomenal youth clubs at Scottsdale Ice Den. But I, along with City of Scottsdale staff, will continue to monitor any actions that occur, and negative repercussions for Scottsdale. As it stands today, the fantasy hockey project must move west, away from Scottsdale."

Before this project can even move forward, the Coyotes will need to win a public auction for the land. However, if this plan doesn't pan out, it seems like the organization is running out of options that don't involve skipping town.