Bill Could Fund Phoenix Arena

Arizona lawmakers are working to create a special tax district that could be used to fund a Phoenix hockey arena for the Arizona Coyotes.

Paul Kucher – Gila River Arena
in Glendale, Ariz. 

The Arizona Senate’s Transportation and Technology Committee approved a bill Feb. 14 that would create the framework for special tax districts from which the Coyotes could collect new tax revenue, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.

The team wants out of the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz., which was mostly funded by Glendale taxpayers and built 13 years ago.

The plan envisions public funding covering 57 percent of a new arena’s cost, with new sales taxes covering $170 million and the host city contributing $55 million, according to the Arizona Republic.

The Coyotes said the team’s portion would be $170 million, a 43 percent contribution toward the $395 million total. Team officials said they would put the new arena in downtown Phoenix or the East Valley. Sen. Bob Worsley is pushing the bill, which faces opposition from fiscal conservatives and the city of Glendale, which wants to keep the team.