Maricopa County forms committee to explore NHL franchise revival in Arizona, with plans for a new arena and potential ownership groups.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently held discussions with a newly formed committee of political and business leaders from Maricopa County, who are exploring the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise back to Arizona, reports former Coyotes beat writer Craig Morgan.
The Coyotes’ hopes of revival, particularly under former majority owner Alex Meruelo, ended in June when the Arizona State Land Department canceled an auction Meruelo had planned to use to acquire land for a new arena and entertainment district, due to issues with zoning permits. Shortly after, Meruelo informed Coyotes staff of his decision to relinquish ownership, and the team’s branding and intellectual property were returned to the league.
This marked the end of a long saga where multiple ownership groups, especially Meruelo, struggled to stabilize the franchise both on and off the ice. In 2022, the team was evicted from its longtime home in Glendale and made a temporary move to Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena, which had a seating capacity of fewer than 5,000 for hockey.
After two years in this temporary venue and with no permanent arena plan in place, Meruelo reached a deal to sell the franchise to Salt Lake City’s Smith Entertainment Group, rebranding it as the Utah Hockey Club, utilizing the Coyotes’ former hockey operations assets. If Meruelo had met certain deadlines for a new arena, he could have revived the Coyotes, but the canceled auction ended that possibility.
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Now, while the Coyotes’ name and logo may reappear in the future, it will likely be with a fresh roster and ownership in a new arena. Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Galvin, who leads the advisory committee, told Morgan that he has had several meetings with Bettman and looks forward to working together to identify potential owners and the best location for a new world-class arena.
Despite this progress, Arizona still has a lot of work ahead before it can be considered for expansion. The committee must create a solid plan for building a top-tier facility and secure a stable ownership group to take on the project. One potential candidate is NBA Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who expressed interest in acquiring an expansion franchise and has long-term plans to build a new arena in downtown Phoenix.
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