By Mark Carlisle
Mail | Twitter: @mwcarlisle

Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has executed a letter of intent to purchase land in Mesa for a potential new arena and entertainment district, the team announced Wednesday.

The move comes on the heels of the Coyotes’ plans for a new arena and entertainment district in Tempe being rejected by the city’s voters in May.

Many speculated after the vote that the team, which has played in the Valley since 1996, would leave the state, but ownership has remained committed to finding a new permanent home in the Valley. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has fully supported that effort.

“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,” said the team’s statement on Wednesday. “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.”

The team’s release was sparse on details and team officials stated they have no further comment at this time. The announcement did not specify where in Mesa the property was, nor how large it is or if the scope of the project will be the same as plans were for Tempe.

In late June, Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said the team had identified six potential sites in the East Valley along the Loop 101 corridor. He said all six sites were available for purchase, meaning they would not require another public vote like in Tempe.

It is unclear whether this Mesa site is among the six Gutierrez mentioned in June.

The team emphasized on Wednesday, as team officials did throughout the Tempe process, that this would be the first privately funded major pro sports facility in Arizona’s history.

Previous plans for the Tempe development included new arena, practice facility and headquarters for the hockey team as well as restaurants and retail, two hotels, a medical office campus, a 1,500-person theater for smaller performances and 1,600 residential units.

With the purchase not being a done deal, the team specified that it is continuing to explore other East Valley sites in addition to this one.

In the meantime, the Coyotes will begin their second season at Arizona State University’s 5,000 Mullett Arena in Tempe in October while they await a permanent home.

The NHL approved the arena as a temporary home but it has a fraction of the seating capacity of other arenas in the league. The next smallest seats about 16,500 and the largest seats about 21,100.

Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Phoenix
@mwcarlisle

mcarlisle@iniusa.org

Meet Mark

Mark Carlisle joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, covering Glendale. He has since moved to the Daily Independent team, primarily covering the city of Phoenix along with other topics affecting the Valley at-large.

Community: Mark enjoys taking his young son to BabyTime at the Phoenix Public Library, to the OdySea Aquarium and to various sporting events around the Valley.

Education: Chapman University with a BA in English Journalism and one in Screenwriting.

Random Fact: Mark worked at a tuxedo shop in college. Just don’t ask him to tie a bowtie.

 

Hobbies: Spending time with his wife, son and dog, watching sports and TV shows, listening to audiobooks and occasionally writing fiction or designing a board game.