Glendale City Council Won't Hear Moyes In Public

((HT: Arizona Republic/Sanders))

Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes made an emotional plea to the Glendale City Council on Tuesday to speak in support of Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie's offer for the team.

But Mayor Elaine Scruggs and city staff told the fallen-from-grace Glendale resident he could not talk and must leave.

A half-hour later, council members emerged from behind closed doors refusing to alter their backing of a competing offer from the NHL.

Balsillie had announced in U.S. Bankruptcy Court last week that he would hand Glendale a $50 million check as compensation if he is allowed to relocate the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. The bankruptcy judge asked Glendale officials to evaluate the proposal by Thursday.

Previously, Balsillie had offered the city $50 million minus a relocation fee due to the NHL and operating costs while the team prepared to leave. Balsillie's new offer would exclude the potentially multimillion-dollar relocation fee, amounting to much more for Glendale but far less than the city owes on Jobing.com Arena.

The city has argued that the economic damage of losing the arena's anchor tenant could be as much as $500 million.

Deputy City Manager Art Lynch said council members continue to favor the NHL's offer. It allows one year to find a buyer willing to keep the Coyotes in Glendale. After that time, the league could sell the team to a buyer in another city.

"Owners have been found in the past, and I believe owners will be found in the future," Lynch said.

The council was meeting publicly on routine matters when Moyes rose and addressed the mayor in a shaky voice. He got no further than her name.

Moyes said he had asked to be added to the council agenda but staff told him he was not scheduled and could not speak.

"I wish they would have listened to me," he said outside the council chambers, where officials had promptly convened privately on the Coyotes.

"The city of Glendale would be better off without hockey," Moyes said, suggesting concerts and events staged at the arena would bring the city more cash. "This team is going to be gone in a year."

Those of us at OSG HQ agree with Moyes and, now, Commissioner Bettman who are locked in to that point of view...

Apparently, Mayor Scruggs still has her fingers shoved in her ears and is stomping up and down like a petulent child waiting for the right answer.

Not happening... take the money and go with it...