Mayor of Arizona city calls out Coyotes attempt to stay in the desert

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Tom Banks
April 8, 2024 (6:54 PM)

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The Arizona Coyotes are clearly not wanting to leave Arizona, but it appears as though one city isn't welcoming them at all.

The Coyotes are clearly in a fight to keep the team in Arizona, and with interest in new NHL teams from Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Quebec and Houston among others, the fight gets harder. The team are reportedly looking to win a land auction this June as they bid to keep the team in the state, but now at least one city has declared no interest in the team coming there.

According to a report, the Mayor of Scottsdale Arizona has categorically rejected the desire to have the Coyotes in Scottsdale, saying that a potential arena there is neither feasible, nor welcome.

Scottsdale mayor says in op-ed he won't support #Yotes proposed new arena site with infrastructure assets.

"The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy [land] ... at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome."

In recent days, the social media team has released potential renderings of a new arena as they look to find a permanent home, but if their last ditch effort with this auction in June doesn't come through, NHL relocation could be happening once more.

The Mayor of Scottsdale, David Ortega, has made it abundantly clear that the #Coyotes are not welcome anywhere near his city.

The team is eying a 95-acre parcel of state-owned land near Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 that sits within the Phoenix city limits. The minimum sale price for the land has been estimated to be $68.5 million.

Ortega says the proposed arena is not "feasible" and should stay far away from Scottsdale because the mayor will not support the endeavor.

The mayor highlights how there's no infrastructure west of Scottsdale Road so he's demanding that any infrastructure must be pulled from Phoenix because Scottsdale has no available water assets to spare.