Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is interested in purchasing land for a new arena in Mesa, the team said in a statement Wednesday.
“We can confirm that Coyotes owner, chairman and governor Alex Meruelo has executed a Letter of Intent to purchase a parcel of land located in Mesa, Arizona to be the potential site for a sports arena and entertainment district for the club," the statement said. "The Coyotes remain committed to building the first privately funded sports facility in Arizona history and ensuring the Valley as the club’s permanent home. In addition to this property in Mesa, the club will continue to explore other potential sites in the East Valley.
"We appreciate the tremendous support that we have received from many communities, elected officials, and community leaders who have expressed their desire to see the Coyotes remain in the Valley permanently. We would also like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for their steadfast support of the club’s efforts to find a permanent arena solution, and for their recognition that Arizona is a tremendous hockey market."
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports reported Tuesday the Coyotes' target date for a new arena is the start of the 2026-27 season and other communities they're considering include Phoenix and Scottsdale.
The Coyotes are looking for an NHL-sized arena after they lost a vote in spring to build a new facility in Tempe.
The Coyotes had hoped a new arena in Tempe would finally allow the franchise to settle down after playing in three different venues since moving to Arizona.
The team shared a downtown Phoenix arena with the NBA's Phoenix Suns after relocating from Winnipeg in 1996, then moved to Glendale's Gila River Arena in 2003. But the Coyotes had a troubled tenure in the Phoenix suburb.
Then-owner Jerry Moyes took the Coyotes into bankruptcy in 2009 and Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie put in a bid to purchase the team with the intention of moving it to Hamilton.
The NHL, wanting to keep the team in Arizona, put in a counter bid, and a Phoenix judge ruled the team could not be sold to Balsillie to circumvent the NHL's relocation rules.
The league ran the Coyotes for four seasons and the financial constraints took a toll, leading in part to a seven-year playoff drought.
A new ownership group brought new hope in 2013 but turmoil surfaced again in 2015, when the city of Glendale backed out of a long-term, multimillion-dollar lease agreement. The Coyotes leased the arena on an annual basis until Glendale announced it was terminating the contract after the 2021-22 season.
The franchise found a temporary solution, working out a deal to share Arizona State University's Mullett Arena. The Mullett has a capacity of 5,000 and is by far the smallest home arena in the NHL.
-- With files from The Associated Press.
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