For a brief moment, it looked like the long-suffering Arizona Coyotes had finally found stability. They had a deal in place for a brand new entertainment district in the City of Tempe, and polling indicated that it was a lock, if not a close win.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Propositions 301, 302, and 303 failed by a large degree, and suddenly it looked like the Coyotes were done for.
But the future is getting clearer a few days after the election. The Desert Dogs seem poised to play the 2023-24 season at Mullett Arena, but that is not a long-term solution.
Mesa has emerged as a strong candidate for the Coyotes’ future home. The City of Mesa has confirmed that the Coyotes have reached out and have confirmed interest.
“For years Mesa has supported the redevelopment of the Fiesta District,” the city said via a released statement. “Aside from being a key site for the District, Fiesta Mall is one of the most attractive pieces of urban real estate in the Valley today. It is massive, adjacent to three major highways and only 20 minutes from two major airports.
The Fiesta Mall was shuttered in January 2018 and, while less centrally located than Tempe, should efficiently serve most of the valley. The site is 10 miles from Priest and Rio Salado, the original site for the TED, and could easily accommodate a new arena.
But other sites have been suggested as well, and it would be best for the Coyotes not to put all their eggs in one basket. Fans have speculated that new Suns owner Mat Ishbia may be more open to the Coyotes than previous owner Robert Sarver. At the same time, the former home of the Phoenix Rising in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community could fit the bill.
Unfortunately, we are already starting to see the effects of the uncertainty. Star prospect Logan Cooley decided to return to the NCAA earlier today, and a lack of arena deal almost certainly was part of his decision. As we have seen previously, it is difficult to attract quality players when they aren’t sure where they will be next season, and this will likely make General Manager Bill Armstrong’s job much harder this off-season.
Of course, Coyotes fans will also have to deal with a hostile public and press, beating the drums of relocation. After a bad season where the Coyotes went hard to the bottom and still didn’t finish with a top-three pick, the fanbase will be rewarded with more uncertainty and more ridicule from the hockey world.
But the fanbase is nothing if not resilient, and the Coyotes still have a chance to turn things around. If the team can get shovels in the ground before the start of the season, everything will be forgiven. If they can’t, most people will go into the year thinking this will be the final season of Coyotes hockey.