Arizona Coyotes fans devastated as people vote no to new arena

The Arizona Coyotes' plan for a new arena and entertainment district in Tempe didn't receive enough local support.

The Coyotes moved to Tempe in 2022 and suggested their plan to the city council to construct a $2.1 billion entertainment district, which included an arena that would boast a capacity of 16,000 spectators at the city's center.

The Arizona Coyotes proposal received immense support from the city council and the former mayors; however, the public has rejected the club's plan to move forward with constructing a new arena and entertainment district in the city.

After the 29,153 ballots that were counted on Tuesday, nearly 56% of the votes favored the "No" campaign on Propositions 301, 302, and 303. Each of the propositions needed to pass for the Coyotes to win the special elections.

The Arizona Coyotes fans were devastated by the news and took to Twitter to share their thoughts following the results.

What's next for the Arizona Coyotes?

Since the referendum failed, the Arizona Coyotes will now likely have to start from scratch and find a new permanent home.

The league and its board of governors have met with prospective owners in cities, like Houston, Salt Lake City, and Kansas City. The meetings indicate that they are ready to relocate the team if necessary.

The NHL also made clear its stance that a permanent solution must be found for the Coyotes. The team has been searching for a new home since they were forced out of their arena in Glendale. The league and team owners have been focused on creating a new arena in Tempe, but following the elections, it now seems the plans in Tempe will not be going forward.

The NHL has mapped out a game plan behind the scenes. It's possible that the Coyotes could be playing somewhere else as soon as next season if the referendum fails. However, it's unlikely that the team would relocate that quickly.

If the Coyotes failed to find a backup in Arizona, cities including the Houston, Portland, Quebec City, and Kansas City could come up as a great backup for the club. It will be interesting to see how the club proceeds.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Arizona Coyotes fans devastated as people vote no to new arena - "We are so bummed about this"

What's next for the Arizona Coyotes?