The state of hockey in Arizona has never been brighter. Hometown boy, Auston Matthews was the number one pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. The Coyotes just signed Alex Gologoski to a multi-year contract that ensures that he will be a part of the organization for years to come. Now the Arizona Coyotes may have just received the best news of all – They have found a site for their new arena.
Anthony LeBlanc says arena financing will likely be public/private but more than 50% of funding will be privately financed by Coyotes.
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) June 24, 2016
Every year, pundits try to move the Coyotes to an entirely different part of the country. All of those hypotheticals are to the chagrin of Coyotes fans and the NHL front office. The sunbelt is an important part of Gary Bettman’s expansion plan.
Coyotes President and CEO Anthony Leblanc said to the press on Thursday afternoon that they have found the site they want to break ground on and are now finalizing the legal documents to ensure the Coyotes have a long, successful relationship in Arizona.
It is believed the new site would be close to Arizona State’s campus and much closer to Phoenix. The Coyotes’ lease agreement with the Gila River Arena expires after next season. A new agreement would have to come in short order for everything to work out.
Coyotes CEO Anthony LeBlanc had preliminary talks with AEG about extending lease 2 more years at Gila River Arena while new arena is built.
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) June 24, 2016
It is a fluid situation that will continue to be a moving target for now. Plans with the Phoenix Suns have also moved in and out of favor. Whether they jump on board remains to be seen. This is huge news though for a market that needed stability. Luckily, they got it just in time.
