Prospective owner Greg Jamison says he's ready to move forward with his bid for the Phoenix Coyotes, but the city government of Glendale, Ariz., now says it wants to rework its 20-year, $324 million deal with him.
Glendale was expected to send Jamison an updated draft on Wednesday night.
City officials repeatedly have said they were waiting for Jamison to hold up his end of the bargain — purchasing the team from the NHL— after approving the Jobing.com Arena lease with him in June.
But Jamison's efforts to buy the team were complicated by unexpected hurdles. There was an unsuccessful effort to ask Glendale residents to vote on the deal in a November referendum. There have also been concerns about an NHL lockout. Then the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled last week that a initiative with a goal of reversing a sales-tax hike expected to help Glendale cover its bills, including next year's budgeted $17 million arena management fee to Jamison, should appear on the November ballot. The city has since asked the Arizona Supreme Court to weigh in on the latter matter.
Though the court has yet to say whether it will take up the case, Jamison now says he's ready to move forward.
"We have the funds together," he said. "We're ready to go forward and I'm ready to sign the deal that was negotiated earlier in the summer."
But in a Monday closed-door session, the Glendale City Council directed administrators not to sign the deal with Jamison until he buys the team and amendments can be made to some terms of the deal.
If the sales-tax initiative makes it to the ballot and is repealed by voters, the budget-strapped city could lose a $20 million funding stream.
Glendale spokeswoman Julie Frisoni said the city has made it clear that it won't sign the deal with Jamison until he purchases the team.
"The agreement calls for the owner of the team to manage the arena," she said. "Since June, the city and the NHL have been saying the next step is for Mr. Jamison to purchase the team, at which time the city was ready to sign the agreement. At this time, in light of other issues, the council has asked us to go back and look at options that are feasible in terms of the management agreement."
A fourth 30-day extension of the NHL's agreement to operate the city's arena provides more time to rework the deal.
Jamison acknowledged the difficulties the city has faced.
"There were a lot of political things that came as a part of this that had to be overcome. It took a long time to put a deal together but now we're at the point where I'm prepared to go forward and sign the deal with the city," Jamison said. "That's the next thing that needs to be settled and then we can move forward."
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Wednesday that the league continues to work with Jamison.
"(We) believe he is committed and is capable of closing the deal on his intended purchase of the Coyotes, provided that he can count on all the elements of the deal he has negotiated with the city, and which has been duly approved by council."
Jamison said he is working closely with the city and has admired the tough decisions that have been made.
"I really respect Glendale's council," he said. "They've shown a lot of courage."
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