Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Glendale pays for the kibble for Coyotes

The Phoenix Coyotes saga continues on, a now long running storyline that seemingly has no actual final chapter, but rather just ever increasing plot development and escalating costs.

If this were Hollywood we're sure the latest developments from the Glendale producers would garner  comparisons to such epics as Waterworld, Ishtar, Battlefield Earth and Heaven's Gate.

All great ideas in development we imagine, but projects that never really recovered their losses along the way and have forever been immortalized in less than glowing reference.

Tuesday night was voting night in Glendale, a chance for democracy to have its say in council chambers, on public access TV in Arizona and incredibly attracting over 15,000 interested observers from Manitoba who joined in over the Internet.

For those that may have been distracted from the actual game of hockey on the ice Tuesday between the Red Wings and Sharks, the Winnipeg Free Press offers up a replay of the riveting cut and thrust of debate in Glendable chambers.

When all the discussion was complete, Glendale's generous city council voted 5-2 in favour of underwriting the NHL's losses for yet another year (their second such installment), hopeful as ever that their investment will secure another applicant to operate the NHL's outpost in the desert.

Judging by this collection of photos from the Arizona Republic, it wasn't a universally accepted show of business acumen that Glendale's council provided on Tuesday.

As Stephen Brunt so clearly explains for us in the Globe and Mail, the next time you complain about your tax bill in whatever municipality you might live in, give some thought to the folks in Glendale, where priorities in life seem a little different than out in the rest of the world.

The NHL was well represented in Glendale council chambers for the big vote, while Gary Bettman was not in attendance, his trusted accomplice Bill Daly took in the count, as did Coyotes GM Dan Maloney and a few others involved with Coyote operations.

Perhaps Mr. Bettman was previously engaged, or maybe he was just sitting back, watching a favourite video at home.  A dramatic presentation of the situation of the events in Glendale, that Winnipeg fans perhaps can relate to considering  these latest developments.

We're quite sure our HockeyNation followers can figure out which role belongs to Mr. Bettman, and which one resonates most with those in Winnipeg.

Some of the reviews from the latest dispatches from the desert.

Globe and Mail-- Glendale continues to go all in on Coyotes
Globe and Mail-- Glendale pledges $25 million to keep Coyotes another year
Globe and Mail-- NHL's return to Winnipeg may have to wait
Globe and Mail-- Arizona hopes to hang on to Coyotes
Globe and Mail-- Glendale on the hook for $25 million
Globe and Mail-- How the NHL could drop the price for the Coyotes
National Post-- NHL considers options after Glendale gives $25M to keep Coyotes
Winnipeg Free Press-- Glednale gives Coyotes one more year
Winnipeg Free Press-- NHL considers legal move, maybe a new buyer for Coyotes
Winnipeg Free Press-- Glendale votes on Tuesday to cover Coyote's team's losses
Winnipeg Free Press-- Winnipeg only option for Thrashers sale: source
Winnipeg Sun-- Glendale takes 'important step' to NHL solution
Winnipeg Sun-- Coyotes staying in the desert
Winnipeg Sun-- Coyotes sale holding up Thrashers move?
CBC-- Glendale pledges $25M to keep Coyotes
TSN-- Glendale keeps Coyotes; Thrashers next for Winnipeg?
TSN-- Glendale, Winnipeg and Atlanta - The Day After
Arizona Republic-- Glendale approves $25 million more for Coyotes
Arizona Republic-- Ice Edge Holdings withdraws from Phoenix Coyotes deal
Arizona Republic-- It's time for rumor mill operators to hit the road
Arizona Republic-- Glendale's (second) $25 million pledge to NHL
Phoenix Business Journal-- Reinsdorf may be back in the picture for Phoenix Coyotes, Glendale
Phoenix Business Journal-- Glendale approves another $25M for Coyotes
Phoenix Business Journal-- New $25M buys Coyotes more than time

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