During my five years in public office, Tempe residents never asked for an entertainment district.
They have sought housing, nursing care, childcare and employment. They want fully funded schools and solutions to the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
Arizona Coyote’s proposed Tempe recreational district addresses only one of these demands: employment, and it is very partial. The City Council should scrap the entire project.
In promotional materials, the hockey team speaks in seductive terms about the $1.7 billion “Manica” district on Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive, creating jobs and generating net new tax dollars in a gorgeous “unique” district. describes the destination.
They pitch taxes but want years of free rides
However, a closer look at their commercial plans reveals that they are not at all desirable to Tempe’s current inhabitants. ), thereby depriving our cities of additional funding for the above much-needed services.
The struggling NHL team has turned the 46-acre city-owned property into a “regional landmark” that includes a multi-purpose arena (the team’s future home), music venues, “luxury” retail and office space, and more. I promise to change it to 1,600 residential units, ’boutique’ and ‘convention’ hotels.
Ongoing Controversy:Phoenix wants to stop coyote development in Tempe
The Coyotes have repeatedly touted the estimated 6,900 full-time jobs the project will bring to Tempe and $215 million in net new taxes (over 30 years).
What they don’t openly share is that they are calling for either a 30-year and an 8-year government property lease excise tax (GPLET). Here is his GPLET for 8 years with over $1.1 billion in tax cuts.
Is this an action that Tempe wants to reward?
And then there’s Coyote’s disgraceful financial track record under current owner Alex Meruelo, who took over the franchise in July 2019.
Early on, his tenure was characterized by “turmoiled transitions in business operations, contentious financial disputes between the team and its contractors and vendors, a flurry of layoffs and resignations of key employees, and I was plagued by “chaos in the front office.” Published by The Athletic, he announced in early 2021.
Just six months later, after months of deadlocked negotiations with the Coyotes over a joint lease of Gila River Arena, the city of Glendale has reached a point of no return and has decided to evict the team by this June. selected. The members endorsed last summer, according to sports publications.
As The Athletic reported last August, negotiations between the city and Mr. It broke down after multiple notifications about .
The publication also informed Coyote that Gila River Arena informed Coyote that the team owed the arena $1,462,792 as of July 17, 2021, and that of that amount, $300,000 was “over four months.” I’m in arrears,” he said.
Is this the kind of corporate behavior that the city of Tempe hopes will pay off over the next 30 to 65 years?
I do not think so. And as the many residents who have spoken out against the project at several meetings of the city council show, I am by no means alone.
Like Glendale, our community deserves better.
Democratic Rep. Athena Salman represents Tempe in Legislative District 26.