*Photo from Yahoo Sports*
Things are looking pretty bleak in the desert right now. The residents of Tempe, Arizona voted to reject the construction of a over $2 billion entertainment district in the city that would include a new arena for the Arizona Coyotes.
Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a statement that "We are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve Propositions 301, 302, and 303. As Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said, it was the best sports deal in Arizona history. The Coyotes wish to thank everyone who supported our efforts and voted yes. So many community leaders stepped up and became our advocates and for that we are truly grateful. We also wish to thank the countless volunteers who worked so hard to try and make the Tempe Entertainment District a reality and the Tempe City Council for their support as well. While we wanted a different outcome, we remain grateful to all those who volunteered their time and talent. What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks."
All 3 propositions needed a simple majority vote in order to get the new arena. 56 percent of voters chose to vote against propositions 301 and 302, while 57 percent voted no for 303. In November of 202, the Tempe city council voted unanimously to approve the project, sending it to an election.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement that "The National Hockey League is terribly disappointed by the results of the public referendum regarding the Coyotes' arena project in Tempe. We are going to review with the Coyotes what the options might be going forward."
The Coyotes had previously played in America West Arena in Phoenix since they relocated from Winnipeg in 1996, relocating in 2003 to Gila River Arena in Glendale. After they were kicked out of Gila River Arena, they played last season at Mullett Arena in Tempe, also the home of Arizona State University Hockey.
The Coyotes have two seasons left on their agreement with Arizona State at Mullett Arena, and they will be without an arena after that. The future of the Coyotes in Arizona is now very much in jeopardy, with the NHL now looking at contingency plans for the team.
Since the 2011-2012 season, the Coyotes have ranked in the bottom 5 of the league in average attendance, and was ranked as the least valuable NHL franchise in December 2022 by Forbes. The proposed project in Tempe would have included a music venue and a residential complex along with retail shops, hotels, and restaurants. The project was valued at $2.1 billion.
In the 26 seasons since the team relocated from Winnipeg, the Coyotes have made the playoffs just 9 times and just once in the last 11 seasons. They have only advanced past the first round one time and have undergone 7 changes in ownership.
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