Suns’ Sarver on new arena: ‘We have to start getting something done’
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver acknowledged the pressing need for the team to find a new arena. How close the Suns are to that goal remains to be seen.
Photo: Talking Stick Resort Arena/Facebook
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver acknowledged the pressing need for the team to find a new home.
How close the Suns are to that goal remains to be seen.
On Wednesday during a press conference to announce the contract extension for GM Ryan McDonough and the hiring of James Jones as VP of basketball operations, Sarver said he continues searching for answers as his team looks beyond its time at its current home, Talking Stick Resort Arena.
“We’re soon to be the second oldest arena in the league, smallest arena in the league square footage wise — not so much seating capacity, but square footage-wise. We have to have an NBA-quality facility, and I know that — I think the city of Phoenix knows that.
“Hopefully within the next couple of years, we’ll start construction on something.”
The only recent news on where the Suns could place their new home came last week, when Sarver was listed as a registered bidder for a plot of land north of the Loop 202 and south of McDowell Road between 36th and 40th streets. Another group purchased the land in a state land auction.
“I thought it was a good location, a good option,” Sarver said Wednesday. “I’m looking at different options here in the Valley. First priority is downtown Phoenix, but if that’s not something that the city wants to do, then you know, I got to look somewhere else. We’re getting to that point where we have to start getting something done. We’re working on it.”
Sarver didn’t shut the door on looking at a shared arena with the Arizona Coyotes, who under new ownership and new president Steve Patterson are also looking to move out of Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.
“I’m hoping to do what’s best for the city of Phoenix and for us, first and foremost,” Sarver said when asked about sharing a home with the NHL team. “If that happens to be this building (Talking Stick Resort Arena) then that’s not an option because of the way this building was built. We’ll see how that goes.”
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Comments
61 Comments
Sarver's group bought the Suns for $400M, it's estimated that the team is worth $1.1B now. So it looks to me that Sarver has $700M that he can borrow against and build himself one heck of a stadium! No need for public funds there; maybe state can give a break on some property taxes or ease some fees elsewhere to help out, but that's it.
He can then charge rent for the Coyotes, Rattlers, etc and any other events he wants to throw in it.
Suns aren't going anywhere. Phx has always been perceived as an good basketball city. On sports talk radio, they tend to talk about the teams that give them radio listeners. The Suns are always in the conversation.
None other than Collin Cowherd (for a national perspective) calls Phoenix a great basketball city.
Use to hate the Bidwells as they were pushing for a new stadium. They got a new stadium and delivered winning teams.
If Sarver got a stadium, would have to cough up money to go after top free agents year after year. Then the "time line" would not be acceptable, but he would have to spend money also.