The Arizona Coyotes reportedly do not currently have the requisite votes in the Tempe city council to approve their new $1.7-billion arena and entertainment district, according to Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports, casting a new shadow of uncertainty over the team's ambitions to secure a long-term home.
The proposal did manage to survive a recent executive session in December, Morgan noted. There are currently only three yes votes for the project, with two no votes and two that are undecided.
The undecided votes are believed to be leaning towards no after the Coyotes' failures to pay taxes and bills were brought to light by reporting from Katie Strang of The Athletic, a shortcoming the franchise attributed to "human error," though it remains possible council members' stance could change before an official vote is held.
Publicly, Tempe's city council has not expressed an opinion on the project proposal, nor has a potential date to vote on the proposal been determined.
In September of 2021, the Coyotes proposed the $1.7-billion development in Tempe, a city just east of Phoenix, that included a hockey arena, restaurants, shops and apartments on a 46-acre tract of land near the city's downtown.
The team said the arena would be funded by private investors, but would seek city sales tax revenues to help pay for $200 million in additional costs, including infrastructure work.
The city of Tempe said the evaluation process would take several months and will include extensive examinations, with opportunities for community feedback. It is not clear at this time how far along in that process the city is.
The Coyotes had been leasing Gila River Arena on an annual basis since the Glendale City Council voted to opt out of a multimillion-dollar long-term deal in 2016. Glendale announced recently that it will not renew its agreement with the franchise beyond the 2021-22 season.
The Coyotes have played at Gila River Arena since moving from America West Arena, which they shared with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, in downtown Phoenix in 2003.
The saga over where the Coyotes will next call home has been rife with unexpected turns, including the emergence of rumours that the team could be made for sale and relocated to Houston, which ownership unequivocally dispelled.
“This is false," the team's statement read. "Totally false. We’re not selling. We’re not moving. The Coyotes are 100 per cent committed to playing in Arizona.”
