Coyotes have faith in joint arena plan: 'This isn't putting lipstick on a pig'

Many mocked the Arizona Coyotes when news broke of the vagabond franchise sharing a 5,000-seat rink with Arizona State for at least the next three seasons, but the club is confident the idea is crazy enough to work.

"All I can say to those players who have concerns is: I understand it. Because they're hearing from the outside that, 'This is a college arena,' and 'It's so small,' and 'Do these guys really have a plan?' I can tell you, this is a plan, we have it, and we're willing to put our capital behind it," Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports.

"This is a brand-new facility. This isn't putting lipstick on a pig. This is a state-of-the-art, brand-new facility. We are putting in over $25 million to make it to NHL standard."

Morgan provided an idea of how the rink, which is still under construction, will look Monday:

The bowl is taking shape at ASU's multi-purpose arena. pic.twitter.com/rVYJpriE3p

- Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) February 14, 2022

"We are very hopeful that - given the central location, given this rabid fan base, this rabid corporate base, and so many community partners who have asked us to look at much more centrally located options - that the demand is there," Gutierrez said.

"This is a hockey town. We've said this from the beginning: What we've needed is an arena solution in order to really super-serve that demand and that fan base and that fan-base-in-waiting."

The Coyotes were forced to find a new home after the city of Glendale ended its lease agreement for use of Gila River Arena. The club is still awaiting approval for the bid on a new permanent rink in Tempe it filed in September.

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