Bettman puts pressure on City of Glendale in Coyotes saga
Jun 13, 2013, 12:29 AM | Updated: 5:00 pm
It has been more than four years since the NHL took control of the Phoenix Coyotes out of bankruptcy from former owner Jerry Moyes.
The twists and turns that of this saga may finally be coming to an end, for both the NHL and the team.
Early Wednesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly put the pressure onto the City of Glendale to get a deal done to keep the team in Glendale.
“I think everybody knows kind of what’s on the table, and I think the puck is pretty much in the City of Glendale’s end with respect to how they’re going to deal with that,” Daly said according to CBC.
The deadline the NHL is looking at is rumored to be June 25th, the last City Council meeting of the Glendale fiscal year.
July 1st begins the new fiscal year for the city.
When asked if the 25th is the deadline, Bettman said “maybe.” He also mentioned that it’s also possible a resolution could be done before then.
“It’s been a complicated process,” Bettman stated. “We in our minds, understand that we’re dealing with a time frame, but a specific day isn’t going to do it.
“But time is getting short and this is really going to be a decision that the City of Glendale is going to have to make.”
The Coyotes were reportedly sold to an ownership group from Canada, which is currently negotiating a lease agreement of Jobing.com Arena with the City Council.
If a deal can not be made to keep the team in Phoenix then the NHL will be forced to relocate the Coyotes.
Quebec, Seattle and Kansas City are mentioned as likely relocation spots for the Coyotes.
“There are a number of markets that have been expressing interest to us over the years and the phone keeps ringing more regularly the longer that the Coyotes situation stays unresolved,” Bettman said.
The good news for Coyotes fans is that there is an ownership group that is negotiating to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix and optimism remains on the team staying in Glendale.
“We’re optimistic that we can get it done, but it isn’t done yet,” Bettman said. “Until it’s all done, it isn’t done.”
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