Arizona Coyotes Exploring New Tempe Arena with Arizona State

The Arizona Coyotes announced today they’re exploring a new arena and commercial development neighboring Arizona State University’s campus in Tempe. They have until June 30, 2017 to create the budget, design and operational plan.

The Arizona Coyotes are looking to relocate their team from Glendale to a brand new arena in Tempe, a move aimed at attracting a wealth of young Arizona State students and greater-Phoenix residents to their games. Lord knows they need an infusion of young fans to resolve long-term attendance needs, so a proposed 16,000-plus seat barn with an attached 4,000 seat multi-sport arena seems to be just the ticket.

Per the team’s official release, the second arena would be utilized by Sun Devils Athletics, and host rec league games and events. This news is an enormous boost for an ASU hockey program that just jumped up to the NCAA DI level and needs every shiny object available to lure talent away from traditional hockey colleges.

Coyotes executives Andrew Barroway and Anthony LeBlanc answered questions today and said that the arena’s new location is “the right spot.”

The Coyotes are projecting they’ll pay $200 million for the stadium, and will ask for an additional $200 million from either public or private contribution. They made it clear they will not be asking for government assistance in the process, which they noted to be extremely important in separating themselves from previous ownership.

“Humbly speaking, we’re working with more funds than maybe prior ownership had,” Barroway told reporters.

Barroway also said that ownership wanted to make the venue “cool,” and a place that people would want to hang out, suggesting that fans can expect restaurants and retail to be a part of the overall development. “Clubs on the upper tiers” of the arena will also be a feature, for those who want to be able to pop bottles somewhere other than Mill Ave.

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As for the timing of the move, Barroway found it to be a product of the new ownership’s overall vision for the franchise, and the state of the roster had nothing to do with it. That stated, the current youth movement in the desert was a part of the plan from the beginning, so maybe the Coyotes should credit themselves instead of just good timing for the all-encompassing franchise facelift.

“We think we have the best young talent in the league … We should be peaking right when we move into the new place.”

Exciting, mysterious times in Arizona.

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