Arizona Coyotes' Failed Arena proposal loss has unfortunate effect on city of Tempe

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Liam
September 7, 2023 (9:00 PM)

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A failed bid for a new home for the Arizona Coyotes may not be something to celebrate for the City of Tempe. In Spring of this year, the owner of the Arizona Coyotes and a development group lost a public vote that would have seen a former garbage dump turned into land for an entertainment district and a hockey arena. Many residents celebrated the 'no' side winning at the time. The latest update may have them regretting that stance, though.

The points of the opposition to the arena bid included better uses for the area, including parks, low-income housing, and harkened for more community involvement in plans. However, after three months, an update from PHNK Coyotes shows absolutely nothing has been done with the land, with a point that no additional proposals for development of any kind have come forward. The Coyotes group planned to start work right away on properly disposing or repairing contaminated soils. The City told PHNX Coyotes that preliminary talks to even begin that development haven't begun yet.

Despite their mixed public opinion, there was benefit for Tempe in the development bid that would bring the Coyotes to Tempe, including plans to make the land habitable again, while providing economic benefit to the city. Now, it sits empty, and presumably will for much longer.

The Arizona Coyotes remain at the 3000 to 5000 seat arena used by the Arizona State Sun Devils. ESPN is reporting that Meruelo has signed a letter of intent to purchase a parcel of land in the City of Mesa for a new arena.