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Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is set to meet with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego later this month to discuss the latest on the team's arena situation and potential relocation.
According to the Mayor's spokesperson Arielle Devorah, Meruelo sent Gallego a letter dated Apr. 10 expressing his desire to keep the Arizona Coyotes in Phoenix in the long term.
"We see this as our home. ... and I am very excited about the opportunity to build a world class sports facility and entertainment district in the City of Phoenix," Meruelo wrote.
The letter comes after Meruelo sent Gallego a letter on Apr. 5 outlining his plan to successfully bid on state land in north Phoenix and invest to build a new arena. Meruelo said that the arena construction would avoid taxpayer funding or property tax incentives.
However, he requested the Mayor's assistance in creating a special tax district to fund the project using tax-free bonds. Devorah confirmed that the Mayor's office had reached out on receiving Meruelo's first letter to schedule a meeting later this month. It would be the first direct meeting between Meruelo and Gallego regarding the Coyotes' arena situation.
Gallego previously met with Coyotes CEO Xavier Gutierrez in September when she was first briefed on the team's ambitions for a new arena development in north Phoenix.
The upcoming meeting with Mayor Gallego could be a significant step toward the team securing a long-term home in Phoenix and avoiding relocation.
Arizona Coyotes owner's statement regarding relocation rumors
Amid rampant speculation that the Arizona Coyotes could relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah, team owner Alex Meruelo stated on Saturday addressed the franchise's uncertain future.
In a statement on X, Meruelo acknowledged the concerns from fans, the community, partners, players and team members about the Coyotes potentially leaving Arizona.
"I understand and empathize with the concerns of our fans, our community, our partners, our players, our front office and all of our team members," he said.
While Meruelo didn't outright confirm or deny the relocation reports, he indicated that an announcement is forthcoming.
"I hope to address these issues as soon as I am able to speak on the topics," the owner said.
"We are focused on a myriad of issues that are unresolved, and therefore we are unable to make any official public comments at this time," he continued. "However, you have my commitment that I am going to speak on all of these issues and publicly address all of your concerns as promptly as possible."
The Arizona Coyotes first relocated to Phoenix in 1996 after previously playing in Winnipeg. The team has played the last two seasons at Arizona State University's Mullet Arena, which lacks a full NHL regulation-sized rink.
Meruelo's statement provides little clarity on the organization's future but promises that news directly from the ownership is on the horizon.
