The Arizona Coyotes are the latest NHL franchise to look to consolidate its geographic footprint and locate its American Hockey League affiliate within easy reach.
Earlier this month the Coyotes’ purchase and relocation of the Springfield Falcons were approved by the AHL Board of Governors.
The intended destination for the Falcons is Tucson and the Tucson Convention Center where $3.2 million in renovations are set to begin.
As reported here and elsewhere though, the Tucson City Council has been digging its heels in on the deal and the expected needs of the Coyotes and the new AHL team to occupy the Convention Center.
City Council member Steve Kozachik has been one of those sending up warning flags that he is not willing to spend taxpayer dollars on the Coyotes or their AHL affiliate. He has cited the Falcons’ departure from Springfield shortly after major renovations to their arena.
The move to Arizona makes sense for the Coyotes to keep costs down in call-ups and scouting. And the move is really no different from other NHL franchise moves including the Dallas Stars who have the Texas Stars in Cedar Park outside of Austin.
The deal is far from certain and Tucson City Council is set to vote this evening on approving or not a 10-year lease to the Coyotes and the affiliate.
Becky Pallack of Tucson.com reports some of the details being worked on between the Coyotes and Tucson including early termination of the agreement, revenue from concession sales, parking, and naming rights. In addition, the AHL team would pay the city an estimated $300,000 a year.
In a tight economy, everyone is looking to squeeze every dollar of concession or leasing agreements for their own side.
Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega has said net revenues could reach nearly $500,000 per year.
There are no odds on the agreement being finalized Tuesday but there are alternatives.
Prescott Valley, 90 miles north of the Phoenix metroplex was host to a Central Hockey League franchise until two years ago when the Arizona SunDogs folded due to travel costs in the AA level bus league.
The Prescott Valley Event Center resides in the town and is a mid-sized arena with a 6,100 seat bowl and is of the same generation of arenas as the Texas Stars’ home ice in Cedar Park.
The Coyotes may not want to be seen as playing one municipality against another and have politely said they were focused on Tucson. But if the agreement with Tucson is not approved Tuesday then they may consider Prescott Valley an alternative.
The Phoenix Suns of the NBA have relocated a minor league basketball team to Prescott Valley for the coming season, Northern Arizona Suns.
Hockey fans in Prescott Valley have started the hashtag #WeWillSupportHockeyInPV to rally support for their cause. A Facebook page of the same name has been set up as well.
Crushing costs on the road forced the SunDogs to suspend operations two years ago, not the lack of support at home. In fact, the SunDogs had reached a milestone for sales in the off season ahead of their suspension. But in the end the distance to much of the rest of the CHL and eventually the ECHL was too much for the franchise to overcome.
The Arizona SunDogs traveled well too including road trips to the Albuquerque (NM) metro area when a team resided there.
For now, the process is out of the hands of the Prescott Valley hockey fan base and business community. An arena with two professional teams playing would be a boom for the Prescott Valley area but the Coyotes paid the dime to dance with Tucson and need to see what happens when the music ends Tuesday.
A team is Tucson does little for hockey fans in the northern Arizona reaches. Prescott Valley to Tucson is a three-hour drive without traffic and moving through the Phoenix metroplex can be challenging.
For now, it is up to the Tucson City Council.
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