Coyotes gain approval to negotiate new Tempe arena

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes gave an elaborate presentation, had players on hand to give their support and listened to concerns presented by Sky Harbor Airport officials. More than 100 citizens offered their opinions, then statements from 220 more were read in the Tempe City Council chambers.

After the eight-hour meeting, the Coyotes finally got what they wanted: approval to negotiate with the city of Tempe to build a new arena close to downtown.

Now comes the next phase.

The right to negotiate a deal in place, the Coyotes are in the process of working out the details in what they hope are the final steps toward securing a new permanent home.

“This isn’t just here, this is the term sheet, here’s a number,” Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said. “It’s all of that has already been put on the table. It’s a continuation of that analysis on behalf of the city and us addressing any of the specific topics there.”

The Coyotes have been searching for a permanent home since the city of Glendale pulled out of a 15-year, $225 million lease agreement in 2015. Glendale decided to not renew the lease after the 2021-22 season and the Coyotes found a temporary home at Arizona State’s new 5,000-seat arena starting next season.

The franchise took a big step toward securing a permanent home on June 2, when the Tempe City Council voted to negotiate on a proposed development of nearly $2 billion that would include a new arena, entertainment district and residential units.

The Coyotes submitted a proposal of more than 90 pages to Tempe, so the major components have been laid out. The two sides have already started hashing out many of the details, including addressing concerns by Sky Harbor and the FAA about the district's