[CrestedSaguaro]

Team owners state long term goal is to stay in Arizona quelling Houston relocaction rumors.

Putting recent speculation to rest, the Arizona Coyotes announced the team will stay in Arizona, and in Glendale, another year.

The Coyotes renewed its lease at Gila River Arena with arena manager AEG Facilities on Dec. 20, said Rich Nairn, a team spokesman.

That means the team will play at the arena at least through the end of next season.

That's good news for Glendale and the West Valley said Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps. The 43 home games a year bring patrons to the hotels, restaurants and shops in the city's sports and entertainment district, he said.

But a one-year lease does nothing to secure the team in the city, or the state, for the long-term.

The team has looked to Phoenix and the East Valley in recent years, and there is speculation that the franchise will leave the state altogether, perhaps for Houston, if it doesn't get the investment it's looking for.

The lease renewal buys Glendale another year, Phelps said, to think about what the city can do to keep the team in the arena for years to come.

"Our goal will be to find a compelling reason for the Coyotes to stay in Glendale," he said.

What might that look like? Phelps said he's not sure. But he said he does know that the arena could benefit from upgrades, which would help the team bring in more revenue.

If the city gets a longer-term commitment from the Coyotes, Phelps said, the city may be willing to help pay.

Recent rumors of a move
The Coyotes have been on a year-to-year lease with the arena's management company, AEG Facilities, since 2016. The team managed the arena until 2015 when the city ended the team's management agreement.

The lease automatically renews every year on Dec. 31, unless the Coyotes cancel before then.

Coyotes officials have said in recent years that the team wants out of Gila River Arena. A bigger arena with more seating, the officials said, would allow for more ticket revenue.

Rumors about the Coyotes leaving the state altogether, for Houston, peaked last month when the NHL announced that the Coyotes will move to the league's Central Division, from the Pacific Division, in two seasons, for the 2021-2022 season.

To quell fans' anxiety, Coyotes President and CEO Ahron Cohen published a letter to fans on Tuesday renewing the team's commitment to the state. It's the team's goal, he wrote, to "achieve a long-term sustainable arena solution here in Arizona."

"Every potential investment opportunity we evaluate and every business deal we consider is predicated on making our franchise successful here in Arizona for decades to come," he wrote. "Arizona is our home. We love it here. And we love playing for you, the very best fans in the NHL."

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...na/2466673002/