As of this date the public does not know the status of the Jobing.com Arena management RFP that Council directed be used. Has it been issued? What are the specific criteria within the RFP? In
addition to the issuance of an RFP Council directed a simultaneous track to pursue negotiations with potential buyers. Has there been any confirmation of a consultant hired to negotiate with any and all potential buyers of the team? What is the cost of this new consultant? Who determined the direction given to this consultant? What was the specific instruction? Where are Mayor Weiers’ “mystery buyers”? Has the City Manager talked with them? Word on the street is there really aren’t any. Do they really exist? What is the City’s time frame for resolution of the Coyotes ownership situation? Is there a time frame?
In addition to the cloudiness surrounding the status of multiple tracks for management of the arena, word has it that Mayor Weiers has not abandoned his scheme to issue four separate contracts for 
the management of Jobing.com arena. If true, someone should advise the Mayor that his scheme is the surest way to lose the Coyotes team. Perhaps he knows that already and it is his way of publicly professing support while killing them and Westgate off gently. So, Mayor, ‘fess up. Do you really, really want the team to stay and Westgate to thrive? If so, please explain just how this idea of four separate management contracts will attract any buyer of the team.
And where, oh where, has the NHL gone? All we heard after the deadline for the Greg Jamison deal had passed was the NHL oft repeated and perfunctory comment saying they continue to work with 
the City to secure a buyer for the team. All we saw was the granting of another extension by the City to the NHL to manage the arena until the end of the season. Now that the lockout is over it seems that they are consumed with realignment of the league. I suppose after that there will be another pressing issue to consider. The most pressing issue to be resolved is the sale of the Coyotes to a buyer committed to keeping the team in Glendale long-term. It’s been 3+ years. It’s way past the time for the NHL to focus itself on this issue and this issue alone. It would be refreshing to hear from Mr. Bettman that he is committed to selling the team by the end of this season. NHL, do you hear us? Don’t you think it’s time to reveal your plan for the Coyotes?
So many questions but so few answers… It’s time for the City of Glendale and the League to provide some as the real stakeholders, the team, the fans and the citizens of Glendale remain in limbo.
Enjoy my version of the team’s Wheel of Fortune. I suppose if you could interactively spin it, it’s result mirrors all of the speculation out there.
Coyotes Wheel Of Misfortune
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Indeed, so many questions… no answers. No idea if theres any heavy lifting going on behind the scenes or what’s going on. On the one hand understandable as if they are all engaged in trying to resolve the issues, hopefully consummate a sale, better it should be done privately but still. It would be nice if the NHL & Mayor gave the public an update, some actual details beyond the usual platitudes. I rather suspected this would happen, that the incoming Council Members etc would require time to get up to speed, everything still flux post January 31st, so I guess all we can do is wait, be patient, hope for the best but prepare for the worst….
Purely speculating here, Im wondering what the NHL’s plans are with respect to the 10yr AMUL they signed with the City 2yrs ago. Through their LLC theyve got the right to renew the Arena Management Contract themselves and on an annual basis. Im assuming they can only do so as the anchor tenant, the agreement enjoined with the continued existence of the franchise in Glendale. That if they do leave its null & void. Otherwise, this could get messy. The City looking to invite offers of interest & tender. Pretty bad optics’ should whomever have to go through the NHL in order to secure an Arena Management Contract, let alone the bizarre notion of splitting that up 4 ways. Surely by now Mayor Weiers will have been briefed by Skeete & Tindall on that concern amongst the many others.
Killy do you recall what happened when CoG (nee Beasley) reopened talks with Kaites/JR while Ice Edge was still negotiating with them (or it was the other way around)??
The whole thing blew up on them.
As I recall Jerry Reinsdorf had presented an MOU to the City that required they guarantee minimums pursuant to the projections tabled via the establishment of a CFD. Glendale wisely refraining from jumping on it quickly, though there was likely more to it, going on behind the scenes then just that alone. Ice Edge then re-entered the fray, requesting an “exclusive negotiating agreement”, demanding Mr. Reinsdorf either put up or get out of the way. Last words heard were when asked what he planned to do was “my MOU speaks for itself” (or words to that affect). Ice Edge as we know enthusiastic alright, points for that, but unfortunately under-capitalized and unable to close, again, looking to the City to guarantee minimums that were rather wildly optimistic.
That’s sounds pretty close to it. I just seemed to remember CoG was in an exclusive negotiation with JR and thought bringing Ice Edge in would give them leverage (which everyone but them knew didn’t exist).
As for re-alignment … I’m hoping its as simple as moving Quebec into the East … and moving Winnipeg into the North West, and bumping Vancouver down to the Pacific division.
a Minnesota, Colorado, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton NW div would be sweet… eh?
Calgary has an NHL team?
They don’t play like one….
Ha! Thats an old Leafs joke Schumi. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment didnt want Jim Balsillie to succeed in acquiring the Coyotes and moving them to Hamilton because then the fans in Toronto would want a real NHL franchise as well.
Funny how that joke never gets old though. (Now if they only had the baghead emoticon here) 🙂
Seriously….. I dunno what direction the Flames are headed. Seems like they’re a franchise in an eternal holding pattern wondering which runway to land on. Sucks too ‘cuz the fans there do deserve better.