The Coyotes may have played their final game out in the desert.
Arizona's plan to build a new arena in Tempe was rejected by voters on Tuesday. It was going to be a part of a proposed $2.1 billion entertainment district.
"The NHL is terribly disappointed by the results of the public referenda regarding the Coyotes' arena project in Tempe," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "We are going to review with the Coyotes what the options might be going forward."
The Coyotes were looking to build a 16,000-seat arena for its new home. Arizona currently plays out of Arizona State's Mullett Arena, which was seen as a temporary site for the Coyotes to play at until a new facility was built.
With the vote being rejected, it leaves the club without a future rink in sight, and the franchise's future in Arizona is now in question.
"We are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve Propositions 301, 302, and 303," Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a statement. "As Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said, it was the best sports deal in Arizona history.
"While we wanted a different outcome, we remain grateful to all those who volunteered their time and talent. What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks."
NHL PLAYOFFS: FULL BRACKET | PREDICTIONS | SCHEDULE
The Sporting News has fans covered on what to know about the vote and the future of the Coyotes.
What was the Tempe vote?
The Coyotes needed voters to approve Propositions 301, 302 and 303, which would have given the green light for the construction of a 16,000-seat arena and entertainment district.
The proposed project was estimated at $2.1 billion, with at least $1.9 billion of that privately funded, and would have included two hotels, a 3,500-person theater and up to 1,995 residential units.
Here is a quick breakdown of each proposition, according to AZ Central's Sam Kmack:
- Prop. 301 tweaks Tempe's General Plan. This has to happen in order for the Coyotes to get the zoning change needed to construct the project.
- Prop. 302 changes zoning rules on the project site. The property isn't currently allowed to accommodate just pieces of the project, like the restaurants and apartments, so a zoning change is needed to make the Coyotes development compatible with the land.
- Prop. 303 approves the development agreement. This final step greenlights the Coyotes contract with the city, which lays out everything from the project timeline to what taxes the Coyotes would have to pay.
The tally of the vote has not been made official, but the Coyotes conceded the results after an unofficial tally showed Propositions 301 and 302 were losing by a 56% to 44% margin, while Proposition 303 was behind 57% to 43%.
Are the Coyotes moving?
The failed vote puts a major wrinkle in the NHL's plan to keep the Coyotes in Arizona. Multiple reports confirmed that the Coyotes would play the 2023-24 season in Arizona, once again calling Arizona State's Mullett Arena its temporary home for the year.
Mullett for 2023-24 it is. Greg doesn’t need my confirmation, but that’s where Coyotes will play next season. https://t.co/ORXqqBnFF3
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 17, 2023
However, after next season, all bets are off.
Previously, Bettman had stated that if this vote were to pass, it would solidify the Coyotes' positioning in Arizona, and the club would not be going anywhere.
"Once this project is built, this team is never going anywhere. It’s going to be here forever," Bettman said last month. "And that is a great legacy for the Meruelo family and the National Hockey League and for Tempe."
With the failed vote, Arizona and the NHL are going to meet in the next few weeks to discuss the options. However, without any new arena coming on the horizon, it's hard to see the Coyotes staying in the state.
MORE: Why the Coyotes are playing at ASU's college rink
One of the last chances the Coyotes have to stay in Arizona is if the club can work an agreement with the NBA's Phoenix Suns. The two Arizona-based franchises previously shared a stadium from 1996-2003. Bettman stated in 2022 that the Suns have "no interest" in sharing their building, but that was under Robert Sarver and the old ownership group for the Suns.
There could be a chance that new Suns owner Matt Ishbia is more open to the idea. TSN's Darren Dreger speculated that Ishbia could potentially buy the Coyotes and move the team downtown, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman discussed the same potential on his 32 Thoughts podcast.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if Gary Bettman and the NHL, if they haven’t already, meet with him to gauge his interest in supporting the idea of turning the Suns' current rink into a facility that can also support the Coyotes," Friedman said on his podcast.
If Ishbia is not interested, then that almost all but assures that the Coyotes will be forced to move the franchise.
The initial locations being thrown out by Friedman and other reporters are Salt Lake City, Houston, Kansas City, Sacramento and Quebec City.
