Report: Coyotes deal progressing, second party named

There are more rumblings of an imminent deal to
purchase the Phoenix Coyotes.

While we have heard this same story many times over, the
amount of details being worked out is worth talking about.

According to Phoenix Business Journal, the sale is
progressing with the three groups that have already been
reported, but now we know the identity of the second
group’s leader: Jim Treliving.

Treliving, along with business partner George Melville,
own the Boston’s Pizza chain. The two also own Global
Entertainment Corp., an Arizona-based company that owns
several minor league hockey leagues and develops, builds
and manages arenas and sports facilities. The company also
has its own ticket management and concessions portions.

Global Entertainment Corp. works out of the Coyotes
offices in Glendale and Treliving’s son, Brad, is the
Assistant General Manager of the Coyotes.

Treliving’s group did not respond to request for comment,
but an unverified Twitter account sent this tweet out
Tuesday afternoon:

I want to be clear
that I am not currently involved in any plan to buy the
Coyotes andI do not have any information about their
future.

— Jim Treliving (@JTreliving) April 10,
2012

As for the other two groups, the one led by former San
Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison is said to be the favorite,
but Treliving’s purchase timetable is supposed to be
shorter than Jamison’s.

Reports said that Jamison was nearing a deal to buy the
team earlier this year, but some investors dropped out and
had to be replaced.

The third party, which supposedly has offered cash for the
team, has not been named nor have any details been
confirmed.

The Coyotes went in to bankruptcy in 2009 after then-owner
Jerry Moyes fired for Chapter 11. He tried to sell the
team to Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, only to have
the move denied.

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