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Following concerns about an indefinite timeframe on a new arena and the effects of continued play at the 4,600-seat [[Mullett Arena]] in [[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]], the NHL facilitated the sale of the Coyotes franchise to Utah-based billionaire [[Ryan Smith (businessman)|Ryan Smith]] on April 18, 2024, after the NHL Board of Governors voted to establish a team in Utah using the Coyotes' hockey assets;<ref>{{cite press release |title='Utah's ready for a team,' new owner says |first=Nicholas J. |last=Cotsonika |date=2024-04-18 |publisher=[[National Hockey League]] |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-is-ready-for-an-nhl-hockey-team-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-says |access-date=2024-04-18}}</ref> however, rather than formally relocate, the Coyotes franchise was instead marked "inactive", with Utah considered a hybrid (due to transfer of assets) expansion team. Coyotes owner [[Alex Meruelo]] retained his rights to the Roadrunners, confirming that they would continue as the AHL affiliate for the [[Utah Hockey Club]],<ref>{{cite news |title=With Arizona Coyotes leaving, relocation talk clouds Roadrunners' future in Tucson |first=Josh |last=Jones |date=2024-04-23 |work=[[Cronkite News]] |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/23/arizona-coyotes-leaving-relocation-roadrunners-tucson-hockey-nhl |access-date=2024-05-04 |quote=The Roadrunners remain under the ownership of Meruelo and will be an affiliate of the new team in Utah.}}</ref> and initially announced his intention to move the Roadrunners from Tucson to Mullett Arena (either part-time or full-time) before rescinding those comments the next day, stating that he "spoke too soon".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-18 |title=Tucson Roadrunners moving to Tempe as Coyotes move to Utah |url=https://www.abc15.com/sports/tucson-roadrunners-moving-to-tempe-as-coyotes-move-to-utah |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix (KNXV) |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Jenna |title=Think the Tucson Roadrunners will move to Mullett Arena next season? Not so fast |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2024/04/18/will-the-tucson-roadrunners-move-to-mullett-arena-next-season/73375345007/ |website=azcentral.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynoldson |first1=Matt |title=Meruelo walks back Roadrunners relocation: "We haven't made a decision yet" |url=https://www.kvoa.com/news/meruelo-walks-back-roadrunners-relocation-we-havent-made-a-decision-yet/article_7f57450e-fe82-11ee-8d1e-f72797817d08.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> The lease agreement with Mullett Arena is specifically for an NHL team, and any adjustments to the lease agreement with the [[Arizona State University|ASU]]-owned arena would need to be approved by the [[Arizona Board of Regents]]. Furthermore, Tucson city officials received no communication from Meruelo on the intended move, nor did the Roadrunners franchise.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sood |first1=Sarika |last2=Reynoldson |first2=Matt |title=Roadrunners owner Alex Meruelo intends to move team to Tempe |url=https://www.kvoa.com/townnews/sport/roadrunners-owner-alex-meruelo-intends-to-move-team-to-tempe/article_13aa8dfe-fdd6-11ee-bf0d-a39a499e7a3e.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref> |
Following concerns about an indefinite timeframe on a new arena and the effects of continued play at the 4,600-seat [[Mullett Arena]] in [[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]], the NHL facilitated the sale of the Coyotes franchise to Utah-based billionaire [[Ryan Smith (businessman)|Ryan Smith]] on April 18, 2024, after the NHL Board of Governors voted to establish a team in Utah using the Coyotes' hockey assets;<ref>{{cite press release |title='Utah's ready for a team,' new owner says |first=Nicholas J. |last=Cotsonika |date=2024-04-18 |publisher=[[National Hockey League]] |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-is-ready-for-an-nhl-hockey-team-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-says |access-date=2024-04-18}}</ref> however, rather than formally relocate, the Coyotes franchise was instead marked "inactive", with Utah considered a hybrid (due to transfer of assets) expansion team. Coyotes owner [[Alex Meruelo]] retained his rights to the Roadrunners, confirming that they would continue as the AHL affiliate for the [[Utah Hockey Club]],<ref>{{cite news |title=With Arizona Coyotes leaving, relocation talk clouds Roadrunners' future in Tucson |first=Josh |last=Jones |date=2024-04-23 |work=[[Cronkite News]] |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/23/arizona-coyotes-leaving-relocation-roadrunners-tucson-hockey-nhl |access-date=2024-05-04 |quote=The Roadrunners remain under the ownership of Meruelo and will be an affiliate of the new team in Utah.}}</ref> and initially announced his intention to move the Roadrunners from Tucson to Mullett Arena (either part-time or full-time) before rescinding those comments the next day, stating that he "spoke too soon".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-18 |title=Tucson Roadrunners moving to Tempe as Coyotes move to Utah |url=https://www.abc15.com/sports/tucson-roadrunners-moving-to-tempe-as-coyotes-move-to-utah |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix (KNXV) |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Jenna |title=Think the Tucson Roadrunners will move to Mullett Arena next season? Not so fast |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2024/04/18/will-the-tucson-roadrunners-move-to-mullett-arena-next-season/73375345007/ |website=azcentral.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynoldson |first1=Matt |title=Meruelo walks back Roadrunners relocation: "We haven't made a decision yet" |url=https://www.kvoa.com/news/meruelo-walks-back-roadrunners-relocation-we-havent-made-a-decision-yet/article_7f57450e-fe82-11ee-8d1e-f72797817d08.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> The lease agreement with Mullett Arena is specifically for an NHL team, and any adjustments to the lease agreement with the [[Arizona State University|ASU]]-owned arena would need to be approved by the [[Arizona Board of Regents]]. Furthermore, Tucson city officials received no communication from Meruelo on the intended move, nor did the Roadrunners franchise.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sood |first1=Sarika |last2=Reynoldson |first2=Matt |title=Roadrunners owner Alex Meruelo intends to move team to Tempe |url=https://www.kvoa.com/townnews/sport/roadrunners-owner-alex-meruelo-intends-to-move-team-to-tempe/article_13aa8dfe-fdd6-11ee-bf0d-a39a499e7a3e.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref> |
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On May 28, 2024, the Roadrunners initially announced that they would play six of its 36 home games during the 2024–25 season at Mullett Arena,<ref>{{cite web |title=AHL Roadrunners To Play At Least 30 Games In Tucson |url=https://www.tucsonroadrunners.com/news/ahl-roadrunners-to-play-at-least-30-games-in-tucson/ |website=TucsonRoadrunners.com |access-date=May 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Jenna |title=Think the Tucson Roadrunners will move to Mullett Arena next season? Not so fast |url=https://theahl.com/roadrunners-to-continue-calling-tucson-home |website=theahl.com |access-date=May 28, 2024}}</ref> but later announced they would play all 36 of their home games in Tucson, following the decision by the [[Arizona State Land Department]] to cancel their June 27 land auction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Roadrunners Announce All 36 Home Games To Be Played In Tucson |url=https://www.tucsonroadrunners.com/news/roadrunners-announce-all-36-home-games-to-be-played-in-tucson/ |website=TucsonRoadrunners.com |access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref> |
On May 28, 2024, the Roadrunners stated they would "remain in Tucson for the foreseeable future" and initially announced that they would play six of its 36 home games during the 2024–25 season at Mullett Arena,<ref>{{cite web |title=AHL Roadrunners To Play At Least 30 Games In Tucson |url=https://www.tucsonroadrunners.com/news/ahl-roadrunners-to-play-at-least-30-games-in-tucson/ |website=TucsonRoadrunners.com |access-date=May 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Jenna |title=Think the Tucson Roadrunners will move to Mullett Arena next season? Not so fast |url=https://theahl.com/roadrunners-to-continue-calling-tucson-home |website=theahl.com |access-date=May 28, 2024}}</ref> but later announced they would play all 36 of their home games in Tucson, following the decision by the [[Arizona State Land Department]] to cancel their June 27 land auction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Roadrunners Announce All 36 Home Games To Be Played In Tucson |url=https://www.tucsonroadrunners.com/news/roadrunners-announce-all-36-home-games-to-be-played-in-tucson/ |website=TucsonRoadrunners.com |access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref> Reports also emerged that once a new arena built as part of the expansions to Meruelo's [[Grand Sierra Resort]] in [[Reno, Nevada]] was ready, the Roadrunners could be moved there.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://burncitysports.com/2024/06/25/report-alex-meruelo-allegedly-plans-on-relocating-tucson-roadrunners-to-nevada-after-completion-of-new-arena/|title=Report: Alex Meruelo allegedly plans on relocating Tucson Roadrunners to Nevada after completion of new arena|author=Cipollini, Alec|publisher=Burn City Sports|date=June 25, 2024}}</ref> |
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==Rivalries== |
==Rivalries== |
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