The City of Glendale will vote next Tuesday on a 20-year lease with prospective Phoenix Coyotes owner Greg Jamison.
But how that vote goes remains up in the air, according to The Arizona Republic.
At a workshop Tuesday evening, City Council members had a heated debate about the proposed $320 million arena-management agreement with Coyotes suitor Greg Jamison. Ultimately, they decided to vote on the pact next week.
However, the interim city manager who helped renegotiate the pact said he would not recommend that city leaders approve it. Also, one council member did not say how she would vote on the deal.
If the council rejects the deal, the fate of the arena and the Coyotes may be decided by a new lineup of City Council members who take office Jan.15. Based on statements made during the campaign, a majority of the new council would likely oppose the Jamison deal.
It appears council member Yvonne Knaack will be the one who casts the deciding vote.
Of course, even if the lease is approved by city council, Jamison would still need to close on the deal. Yesterday, he told the paper his group would “move as quickly as we possibly can” should the vote go its way.
There’s also the specter of the Goldwater Institute, the taxpayer watchdog group that may challenge the lease, which many have called a subsidy, in court.