ARIZONA NEWS

Tempe officials admonished for open meetings violation ahead of failed Coyotes arena vote

Oct 17, 2024, 3:21 PM

Tempe open meetings violation...

Tempe officials have been reprimanded for an open meetings violation in 2022 ahead of the city's failed Arizona Coyotes arena vote. (Tempe Photo)

(Tempe Photo)

PHOENIX — Tempe officials have been reprimanded for an open meetings violation in 2022 ahead of the city’s failed Arizona Coyotes arena vote, authorities releveled.

The Tempe City Council violated open meeting law by receiving reports from representatives of consulting group Strategy Forty-Eight on three occasions between November 2022 and December 2022, according to a letter dated Oct. 9 from the Solicitor General’s Office, a unit of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

The reports were received during executive session instead in a public session, which was the cause of the violation.

As a result, councilmembers will have to receive training on open meeting laws by Dec. 9. The city council must also display the letter displaying the violations on the Tempe website for six months, or April 9 of next year.

The Tempe City Council has to provide the Solicitor General’s Office proof of compliance by May 9, 2025.

The reports received during the executive sessions must also be made public.

Violation came months before failed Tempe arena vote

The open meeting law violation came about six months before Tempe voters rejected a bid by the Coyotes and the city to build a new arena complex near Priest Drive and Rio Salado Parkway.

The failed votes — nearly 60% voted against each of the measures — doomed the Coyotes’ chances of moving to the East Valley city and was one of the final breaking points for the organization to move out of Arizona. The Coyotes unsuccessfully attempted to purchase a parcel of land in north Phoenix in the following months.

The organization announced in April that it would be moving to Salt Lake City after the 2023-24 season.

Arizona currently does not have a National Hockey League team.

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Tempe officials admonished for open meetings violation ahead of failed Coyotes arena vote