Arizona Coyotes land auction in Phoenix officially scheduled for June 27

This is the Coyotes’ backup plan. In a referendum held back in May 2023, the franchise suffered a crippling defeat at the hands of voters in Tempe, AZ when a majority voted against the Coyotes’ plans to build an entertainment district near Arizona State University.

“My family and I are committed to winning this land auction and building a transformative entertainment district that will not require taxpayer funding for the first time in Arizona history,” Coyotes majority owner Alex Meruelo said in a statement released on Thursday.

“We will buy this land, build this development and finish a project that will incur the cost of more than $100 million in infrastructure improvements with no burden placed on taxpayers.”

According to the Coyotes, the arena at the center of the proposed arena project would feature 17,000 seats for NHL games. The entertainment district would also include a 150,000-square foot practice facility, as well as residential and retail units and office space.

The Coyotes’ plans have been met with fierce resistance from some circles in the hockey world. NHLPA head Marty Walsh expressed his dismay earlier this season at the slow pace the Coyotes have taken in formalizing their plan and their lack of communication with the Players’ Association.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has long backed the Coyotes and shared a statement to Morgan on Thursday night: “Obviously, we want a new arena and we want the team in Arizona. Alex wants to win the auction to make that happen.”

It is becoming increasingly clear that Meruelo is running out of time to solidify the future of the Coyotes franchise in Arizona. With other potential venues, such as Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix or Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, out of the mix, the most likely scenario if the Coyotes lose the upcoming auction is relocation.

“Alex is very committed to NHL hockey in Arizona. He’s very committed to this project,” Coyotes CEO Xavier Gutierrez told Morgan on Thursday. “He is very committed to being the winning bidder because obviously, if there is not a successful or winning bid, then we will have to explore relocation of this franchise. There is no other option that we are exploring at this point.”

The Coyotes are currently in their second season playing at Mullett Arena on ASU campus in Tempe. The arena opened in 2022 and has a capacity for 4,600 fans during NHL games. The Coyotes have a three-year lease with ASU that includes options for extension.

According to Morgan’s report on Thursday, only 26 of the last 117 Arizona land auctions since 2017 have featured multiple bidders. The proceeds from any winning bid will benefit public education systems in Arizona.