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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNFeb 2, 2024, 04:22 PM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh believes the Arizona Coyotes should relocate if there isn’t a suitable arena plan in place by the end of the 2023-24 NHL season.
“If there’s no plan in Arizona, I would encourage a move to another location, absolutely,” said Walsh, speaking at NHL All-Star Weekend on Friday. “I think the league feels that Arizona is a good market and I can understand that. The issue I have, and the players have, is how long do you wait to get a home? They’re playing in a college arena and they’re the second tenant in that arena. This is not the way to run a business.”
The Coyotes called Glendale home from 2003 until 2022, when the city council decided not to renew their arena lease. The team is playing its second season at Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat building on the campus of Arizona State University. It was a temporary fix while owner Alex Meruelo sought to build a $2.1 billion entertainment district in Tempe, on a landfill owned by the city. But that plan was rejected by voters on a special election ballot last May, which sent the team scrambling for alternatives.
When asked whether Coyotes players would support an abrupt relocation after this season, Walsh said that “the players want to play in an NHL arena.”
He also blasted the team for not working with the players’ union since he took over last year.
“I’m extremely disappointed in the ownership of Arizona and the president of Arizona. We have a team in Arizona that doesn’t seem interested in having conversation with the union who represents the players that play on that team,” he said.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that Coyotes’ arena situation “will be addressed in the next few weeks,” as Meruelo “is focused on one piece of property.” Last August, Meruelo executed a letter of intent to purchase a parcel of land in Mesa to potentially build a new sports arena and entertainment district.
“Alex…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39445639/nhlpa-walsh-says-coyotes-arena-limbo-not-way-run-business
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-02-02 21:56:46
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