The Arizona Coyotes have hit another roadblock in their quest for a new arena.
The Phoenix land auction set for June 27 has been canceled by the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD), as reported by Craig Morgan of Go PHNX. The Coyotes, now a smaller team after ex-owner Alex Meruelo left, hoped this auction would secure land for their new arena since they were kicked out of Gila River Arena in 2022.
However, the ASLD stated that the Coyotes need a “special use permit” for their proposal, which they haven’t applied for yet. Morgan mentioned that the team thought the land was already zoned, but spring reports showed otherwise. The auction will only proceed once they get this zoning permit, involving steps with Phoenix’s Planning and Development Department and a vote from the Board of Adjustment .
Setbacks and Delays:
This means the Coyotes are far from buying any land in Phoenix. The permit process could take two to three months or more, depending on Board activity. Meanwhile, Utah Hockey Clubs are settling into the league. No comments have come from current Coyotes representatives about whether they still plan to buy the land.
Fans might feel frustrated with these constant delays.
More importantly, there’s no word from the NHL on this issue. Previously, it was said Meruelo could stay in NHL ownership if he managed to build an arena. But now he’s falling behind with no clear next steps. This uncertainty can’t last long if he wants hockey back in Arizona because other cities like Houston, Quebec City, and Atlanta are also looking to expand into the NHL.
In simpler terms: What do you think? Should they keep trying?
