Arizona property at center of land auction reportedly wasn't zoned for NHL arena

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Cooper Godin
June 22, 2024 (7:12)

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The Arizona Coyotes' chances of returning to the NHL in the coming years took a major hit on Friday, as it was announced the land auction set for next week has been cancelled.

Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo expressed his disappointment with the decision on Friday and is said to be seeking out his legal options against the state of Arizona. He released a statement, which can be seen below, through the Coyotes' social media accounts following the announcement from the Arizona State Land Department.

In the hours that followed the announcement, some new information has come out regarding the cancellation of the land auction and it's pretty shocking to even hear.

According to Greg Whyshynski of ESPN, one of the big issues with the land auction had to do with the type of arena that Alex Meruelo was going to build on the site, if he won. Sources told Whyshynski that was zoned for an indoor hockey arena, but for YOUTH hockey, not a 17,000-seat NHL venue.

"Multiple sources tell ESPN that the Arizona land auction issue is related to the kind of hockey arena that Alex Meruelo could build there.

Coyotes said the land was already zoned for an indoor hockey arena, except that was for youth hockey -- not a 17,000-seat NHL arena." Whyshynski said.

Further to that, according to Phoenix councilman Jim Waring, who's district was where Meruelo was going to build the arena, the Coyotes didn't have a zoning attorney and that they should get one, which should've been done well in advance.

This news came as a shock to many, including Craig Morgan, who has covered the Arizona Coyotes for quite a while. Morgan was really surprised that this wasn't locked down beforehand, especially given the size of the project.

"Telling info from this story:

Phx Councilman Jim Waring, whose district the proposed arena would be in, said the Coyotes should "get a zoning attorney. They don't have one."

How on earth do you not lock down the zoning requirements before embarking on a project of this scale?" Morgan said.

Much like they were in May 2023 after the failed vote in Tempe, the Coyotes are back to square one and it's going to be increasingly difficult for Alex Meruelo to bring back a team within the five-year window he was given by the National Hockey League.