Goldwater Institute Holds "Town Hall" Over Coyotes Sale
by Carl Putnam on Mar 14, 2011 9:38 PM MST
in Breaking Coyotes News
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PrintThe Goldwater Institute (GWI), with President and CEO Darcy Olsen out in front , have been on a political PR style campaign over the last few weeks in an effort to kill the Phoenix Coyotes ownership deal between Matthew Hulsizer and the City of Glendale. Ms. Olsen seems to be everywhere these days. She has been on a number of radio and TV broadcasts here in the Valley in the last few weeks. In addition, she wrote a column for the editorial page of the Arizona Republic.
The most interesting events, outside of GWI's contacts with potential bond investors, have been Ms. Olsen's forays into media up in the Great White North. Heretofore on every other issue I've seen GWI get involved with the political think tank focused almost exclusively on Arizona specific issues or ones involving the United States as a whole, though even then it was normally related to Arizona in some manner. So why would they look to engage the Canadian public? I can only assume Ms. Olsen and GWI are hoping to find people in Canada who will help fund their think tank. Otherwise what would be the point of speaking to media in an area of the world that doesn't include people directly impacted by their concerns about the COG/Hulsizer deal?
Once I heard that Ms. Olsen was speaking to outlets in Canada and was attempting to rally tea party members in Arizona I assumed they were planning on waging a traditional political campaign complete with on the issue. This evening my assumption was confirmed when I received my first political robo call since last November. Residents in the state of Arizona, including myself, received a recorded telephone message from Ms. Olsen about a live town hall that you could purportedly listen in on. Check out Geoff's post over at My Hockey Rambling on what happened when he listened in on the "town hall". Like all political campaigns this ones seems to involve mixing ideology with fund raising. GWI, by their actions, have made it clear that they don't ever plan on backing down unless something unforeseen occurs.
If nothing else, tonight's phone call confirmed that GWI doesn't plan on going away nor do they appear to have any real concern about finding a solution. This issue has raised their profile both locally, nationally, and internationally. The more publicity they gain and the more they think this issue helps them the more likely they are to continue to place obstacles in the way of the deal. For GWI the stakes aren't high and they have little to lose. Coyotes fans and the City of Glendale can't say the same thing.
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Don't Tread On Me
All of this fame and fortune for Goldwater is unfortunate because I (the Glendale taxpayer) am being used as a stepping stone and in the mean time I will be crushed. Doesn’t exactly mesh with their mission statement, does it?
Curious
If GWI is a “watchdog”, who watches the “watchdog”? As the story points out, GWI is in this fight full bore now with a media campaign to promote themselves and not so much about the deal.
This whole ownership situation as gotten way out of control now. I as a Coyote fan am truly tired of this mess.
Once this situation is finally resolved, I really hope some writes a book about it. It should be called “Greed, Power, and Politics: The Neutering of the Coyotes”
by RhysAZ on Mar 15, 2011 7:19 AM MST reply actions 2 recs
The Neutering of the Coyotes
You don’t neuter an animal that is dead.
Which the Coyotes have been for awhile now..
by StaticPrevails on Mar 15, 2011 3:39 PM MST up reply actions
Yawn
You joined just to post this horseshit?
As Featured in Sports Illustrated: http://tinyurl.com/TimmyHate
New Zealand's Number 1 Coyotes Fan - and I have the photos to prove it!
DISCLAMER: Any and all trash talk is intended in a light hearted manner. Failure to take trash talk in this manner may result in foolish anger, looking stupid or Red Wings Fandom. Do not take TimmyHate Trashtalk if you are suffering a heart condition, have had a funectomy or support a return to Winnipeg.
by TimmyHate on Mar 15, 2011 3:48 PM MST up reply actions 3 recs
Dude!
this made my day! lol! I’m glad you are on our side.
La vida no se ha hecho para comprenderla, sino para vivirla.
by unnamedDBacksfan on Mar 15, 2011 4:49 PM MST up reply actions
At your service
As Featured in Sports Illustrated: http://tinyurl.com/TimmyHate
New Zealand's Number 1 Coyotes Fan - and I have the photos to prove it!
DISCLAMER: Any and all trash talk is intended in a light hearted manner. Failure to take trash talk in this manner may result in foolish anger, looking stupid or Red Wings Fandom. Do not take TimmyHate Trashtalk if you are suffering a heart condition, have had a funectomy or support a return to Winnipeg.
Really?
Please tell me why the GWI has to negotiate anything? Are they are a part of the negotiations? No. Do they have a stake in the sale? no. Are they buying or selling the team? No.
So what is to negotiate? Ohh… You want them to back down so the bonds can sell?? then change the deal so that it doesn’t involve taxpayer funded or backed money and then GWI has no issue with this deal. Have MH buy the team with his own money or by borrowing from other private institution? What they won’t lend him money based on the crazy parking number being provided? Go figure.
the issue is with the deal between the NHL, MH and COG. NoT with GWI. GWI is prostesting that the deal as it stands break the AZ gift clause. Remove the public subsidy dressed as buy parking rights and over paying for arena management fees and you remove the GWI from this sistuation.
Step back and see what the issues are.. It is Not on the GWI that got COG into this.. the COG did!
by Adrenaline on Mar 15, 2011 8:10 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
You aren't listening to the GWI then...
because their interviews all say the deal “appears” to violate the gift clause & we “think” it’s illegal. If the deal was illegal, the AZ attorney general would have gotten involved already to force the issue.
The GWI is making an international name for themselves by voicing their opinion & stalling this deal. Too bad everything they’re doing shows more support for furthering their political careers than protecting my rights as a Glendale tax payer. I think this is the issue that most people are getting upset about. An AZ watchdog group going on more media interviews in Canada than they do locally to spread their rhetoric to no one that is part of the deal or their group of protected US citizens..
The team owns the parking rights, not Glendale which would mean that the NHL currently has the parking rights & the agreement to sell them as part of the deal is PERFECTLY legal. GWI states Glendale “may” own “some” of the parking rights (they’re not sure) which makes the deal violate the gift clause.
by ChadInGlendale on Mar 15, 2011 8:44 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Breaking news, GWI filing lawsuit
I just found this news on several sites about 10 minutes ago. “The Goldwater Institute ended months of threats with the announcement it will file a lawsuit to block the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer.”
Already the hockey obsessed Canadian media is licking its chops with the assumption that a lawsuit will prolong the sale process as well as make the bonds even less attractive enough for the NHL to give up on Phoenix.
Yet they might be left with egg on their faces. It’s known that the NHL wants to remain major league and wants no part of additional Canadian teams. And recall that Bettman stated that the league has “other options” ready beyond simply moving the Coyotes back to a small Canadian city.
With the odd relationship the GWI seems to have with someone in Canada the news of the lawsuit looks “good” for Canada. If the Coyotes do in fact leave I very much hope it’s to another large American city (any with an NBA team would do) instead of rewarding the hypocritical media and fans north of the border!
If we must relocate,
I hope it is to another American city too. I would still feel like I could root for them. The trolls have turned me off Winnipeg.
Winnipeg population
- City 633 451
- Metro 694 668
Tucson
- City 520,116
- Metro 980,263
…huh.
Per Mare, Per Terras
trolls.... really? still?
Haven’t you had enough people from winnipeg apologizing for other people’s rude comments to not name all of us as trolls.. I very much doubt that you’ve received 633 451 rude comments… and maybe a very small percentage of our population have said anything… in fact most of the comments you’re making now are the exact comments you were complaining about in other another post… basically saying we don’t deserve a team… i’d recommend you take the plank out of your own eye before you try to get the sliver out of ours
Trolling
I’ll assume this is in response to justin’s comment above. There is a difference between “trolling” and making a pro-Phoenix/anti-Winnipeg comment on a Phoenic Coyotes site. As for whether we’ve personally received 600,000+ rude comments at FFH, no…but I don’t even bother to look at comments at TSN, ESPN, Puck Daddy, Globe & Mail or WFP…I’m guessing if I did, I’d feel like I had (or at least it would be close). But that’s the point…I expect to see anti-Phoenix comments at WFP…it might not be appropriate anywhere, but that’s a forum that will breed that sort of thing. I believe what has struck Travis and I (and his earlier article was really about those comments specifically directed at himself and our site) is that folks will seek out our site, read a story, take the time to create a username only to tell us we suck. It’s a lot of effort to just be rude.
And I’ll agree that when faced with it, in the initial moments, we are prone to occasionally respond inappropriately, for which I’ll apologize on my own behalf. While I’ve never had the opinion that Winnipeg “doesn’t deserve a team”, I do think there are legitimate questions about whether moving a team to a metropolitan area that is less than half the size of the next smallest NHL market would be the best decision. I think that’s a valid argument.
Nobody wins in these arguments and to the extent that we lash out, realize that Five For Howling is a pro-Coyotes fan-run web site. It is not a neutral forum and while Travis, myself and the other contributors and moderators will do our best to provide articles that do not delve into the name calling and mud slinging that doesn’t get us anywhere, please do not hold us accountable for our readership and commentariat who are simply expressing their opinions as beleaguered Coyotes fans. In exchange, I promise not to judge you and other Winnipeg residents by the comments seen at Puck Daddy and other sites.
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(Oh, and go Philly teams as well!)
by Jordan Ellel on Mar 16, 2011 8:13 AM MST up reply actions
And also,
633 451 was the population, double fail. Jordan summed up my feelings above, so I have no need to elaborate.
Per Mare, Per Terras
new browser yay reply works
that’s exactly why i used that number… i was saying that the whole populatuion of winnipeg hasn’t makde rude comments….
by Lauren Shodine on Mar 16, 2011 10:10 AM MST up reply actions
Cool.
After I posted that, I realized what you meant and wanted to clear waht I meant. I was just comparing the sizes of Winnipet and a random city in AZ. It was mostly for my curiousity, I guess I shouldnt have posted it. My bad.
Also, no hard feelings, I might (and probably do) come across as an asshole but I tend to get that way with something I care about. I have a fiery personality, it is the Scotsman in me.
Per Mare, Per Terras
haha yeah the irish in me gets me fired up.. i would bet your a red headed cancer too….but that’d be too far of a stereo type…are you allowed to stereo type when you are all of the above?
by Lauren Shodine on Mar 16, 2011 11:15 AM MST up reply actions
No, I am actually a brown haired virgo.
I am half Italian, unfortunately lol.
BTW I have duel Canadian and US citizenship, so I really am torn on whether or not I will continue to follow the team. If most people on the new board are cool like you and a couple others I will.
Happy St Pattys Day :P lol
Per Mare, Per Terras
dual or duel?
You have it for both or the 2 fight for you? =)
by ChadInGlendale on Mar 16, 2011 4:20 PM MST up reply actions
Forgive me for asking,
but were you a kid when the Jets left Winnipeg? Have you followed the Coyotes since they left?
Per Mare, Per Terras
Now that the lawsuit news is being reported by honest news sources (Washington Post, Fox Sports, ESPN) outside of hockey obsessed Canadian ones, we learn that the GWI will launch its suit IF THE DEAL COMPLETES. This is considerably different in nature than the spin the Canadian media put on it last night. They were crowing as though the Coyotes were already packing their bags. Already reporting on which team names would be and not be used. I swear sports fans up there do nothing but drink beer, collect welfare, and wait for the hockey season.
What to make of the lawsuit threat? As Bettman pointed out, the suit could be weak and that’s why the GWI waited to see if it could kill the bond deal w/o having to do anything except issue threats to drive up the prices and increase the illusion of risk. Bettman claimed two independent legal opinions confirmed the bond sale is legal and legit. Mind you, that’s the NHL’s position.
So the threat of the lawsuit if the deal finalizes could be the last play the GWI makes. Maybe it’ll carry it out. Maybe the GWI hopes to spook bond buyers that even if they finish it they’ll then find their investment ruled illegal in court. This alone might be enough to cause the NHL or the city of let the team leave.
If so, I’d love to see the Coyotes find a new home in the new and big arena in Oklahoma City. Or perhaps in Cleveland which is 4 times the size of Canada’s small market cities. And everyone there is bummed about LeBron leaving and so could use a new team to follow!
GO CLEVELAND COYOTES! :) :)
No.
Also, I take issue with the drink beer, collect welfare one. That is like saying all Americans are fat slobs.
Per Mare, Per Terras
same people over and over again.
While I do agree with you that there are probably many comments on other websites, I would like to point out that they are probably the same people over and over again making the same comment on different sites.. I do admit that I read many of them as well, to get a not bias pov, plus my job is extremely boring so it’s either read something with content OR play sudoku all day. But regardless.. i would bet my savings on that fact that it’s probably the same person
Lauren, I don’t disagree that people tend to spread things around between the different sites. But just for full disclosure, Travis and I have banned 5 people over the past week that have come to the site and been unwilling to engage in decent discourse on this issue. I think we are pretty fair about letting folks speak their mind as long as there is a point. Certainly 5 folks in a week isn’t earth shattering, but we’ve been at this for a while and our banning procedure will block users from an IP from creating a new account…
Support Coyotes Hockey - Five For Howling
(Oh, and go Philly teams as well!)
by Jordan Ellel on Mar 16, 2011 1:37 PM MST up reply actions
And as you can tell Lauren, those whos comments are on topic, and actually want to have a discussion, are more than welcome. Check out the user who I’m having a debate with the ‘Coyotes fans what a joke’ post
As Featured in Sports Illustrated: http://tinyurl.com/TimmyHate
New Zealand's Number 1 Coyotes Fan - and I have the photos to prove it!
DISCLAMER: Any and all trash talk is intended in a light hearted manner. Failure to take trash talk in this manner may result in foolish anger, looking stupid or Red Wings Fandom. Do not take TimmyHate Trashtalk if you are suffering a heart condition, have had a funectomy or support a return to Winnipeg.
Sorry if anyone lost comments.
I had to nuke a cockroach.
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JaredFromLondon: ...Odin, he's cool.
cockroach
As Featured in Sports Illustrated: http://tinyurl.com/TimmyHate
New Zealand's Number 1 Coyotes Fan - and I have the photos to prove it!
DISCLAMER: Any and all trash talk is intended in a light hearted manner. Failure to take trash talk in this manner may result in foolish anger, looking stupid or Red Wings Fandom. Do not take TimmyHate Trashtalk if you are suffering a heart condition, have had a funectomy or support a return to Winnipeg.
You!
So my replies WERE valid! Aha! It was the banhammer that made me look late to the party. Guess I should stop posting from work when I have to leave & come back to much to get 1 post finished.
by ChadInGlendale on Mar 16, 2011 5:30 PM MST up reply actions
Sometime the nuke is the only answer. I don’t always delete comments, but he deserved it and yes your points were valid.
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
JaredFromLondon: ...Odin, he's cool.
by Travis Hair on Mar 16, 2011 10:21 PM MST up reply actions
It's all good...
Just funnier since I seem to have a chronic Reply problem in the GDT threads & ones that I’m too pissed off to think clearly.
by ChadInGlendale on Mar 17, 2011 8:32 AM MST up reply actions
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