Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers: I’m confident Coyotes will stay in the Valley

GLENDALE — Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said Friday that two groups have contacted him about possibly buying the Phoenix Coyotes after potential buyer Greg Jamison failed to meet the January 31 deadline. Weiers will not release the names of the groups and said no offers were made, but that he received credible expressions of interest.

“We have a great opportunity right now that we may end up with a better situation for our city taxpayers and keep the Coyotes here,” Weiers said. “That would be the ideal situation for everybody.”

Glendale was prepared to agree with Jamison on a lease deal worth $308 million that would have kept the Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena for the next 20 years. That deal is now off the table, and the next buyer will not get the same offer because Weiers doesn’t believe the new city council has the will to further deals that were made by previous leaders.

The mayor has assured NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that he wants the Coyotes to stay but not on the city’s dime.

“Not on our taxpayers back and not at the risk of losing public safety,” said Weiers. “When someone calls 911 they don’t want a Zamboni to show up. They want a fire truck or a police car to show up.”