By Darrell Jackson
Special to The Glendale Star
The City of Glendale and its negotiations on the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes have hit a crucial point, as possible investors continue to inquire about purchasing the team.
Current Glendale Councilmember Gary Sherwood, who appeared on KXXT 1010 AM Breakthrough Sports with Dave Issac last week, announced that the city is currently in discussion with numerous possible owners, including Greg Jamison.
“I have had a few conversations with Mr. Jamison since (the original deadline) Jan. 31 and he and the city are looking at something more in line with a 12-year deal,” Sherwood said in a phone interview. “That is definitely something that is palatable to me.”
The new deal, which is believed to be between 12-13 million per year to run Jobing.com Arena, would total between $144-156 million. The previous deal offered to Jamison was for 20-years, $320 million over the life of the deal to manage Jobing.com Arena.
“I think and the city thinks that 12 years is a more reasonable time table and a better pill to swallow,” Sherwood said. “There are negotiations going on behind the scenes and, no offense to (the press), but I think that is where they should be, behind closed doors.”
Sherwood advocated taking the negotiations out of the city manager’s hands and hiring a professional negotiator so that all the information could be with one person, who would then bring the information to the city.
“If we had done that at the time of the bankruptcy, this wouldn’t have gone on this long and we wouldn’t be going on four years (with the NHL owning the Coyotes).”
In February, the acting city manager put out a request for proposal (RFP) for bids for the hockey team and management of Jobing.com Arena.
When contacted, Sherwood said the RFP directing Beacon Sports Capital Partners, LLC to handle the negotiations, both the sale of the Coyotes and the arena management, has not yet been released.
Beacon Sports could not be reached for comment, but on their website is states under their clientele that it is, “Advising the City of Glendale pertaining to a feasibility study concerning the Phoenix Coyotes.”
“He (city manager) is utilizing Beacon Sports as the broker to bring the bids in and evaluate them,” Sherwood said. “The RFP is not on the street yet and therefore I haven’t seen the final contents.”
Sherwood said that while the Coyotes are an important part of Glendale, he is more focused on saving Westgate Center.
“We cannot make it a viable arena without a hockey team. People who say we could, I don’t know what experience they would have that would draw them to that, but I just see everything but maybe the (AMC) theater slowly coming to a slow death.”
Sherwood, who was the planning commissioner before being elected to the Glendale City Council, said his experience helps him to continue to help the city, not just the hockey team.
“I am a hockey fan, but I am not working on this for hockey, but for the survival of Westgate Center.” Continued
