Good morning, Denver

Good morning, Denver, good morning, Insiders, and good morning… new Coyotes building?

No, obviously this has nothing to do with Denver, or tonight’s opponent, the Colorado Avalanche. But there was a loose, obscure tie-in derived from a discussion with Darryl Sutter yesterday after recorders were turned off in which the coach praised the upkeep of Pepsi Center, a building that opened the same month as Staples Center, and like the Kings’ home, hasn’t begun to show its age like certain buildings built during the 1990’s arena boom (ED. – See: Wells Fargo Center, BB&T Center, etc., etc.). But much like the Atlanta Braves’ move away from Turner Field after 20 years, the Coyotes will also look to move away from a well-kept, modern, functional building (that, unlike Turner Field, is located in the extreme western suburbs, away from where the city has more densely sprawled, and in the direction of heavy rush hour traffic).

Never mind that the new Coyotes building would need a mix of public funding on top of private capital while the city of Glendale is still on the hook for $145-million through 2033, or that Phoenix’s mayor appeared to be campaigning against the proposed facility, which doesn’t include a home for a more popular local team, the NBA’s Suns, who are also advocating for a new arena, or that it’s too early to get a sense of whether there’s actually support from local politicians.

Via the Arizona Republic:

The proposed deal would make the Coyotes one of the first tenants in Arizona State University’s Athletic Facilities District, but it would need approval from lawmakers when they convene in January. The team said it does not yet have any lawmakers lined up to push needed legislation through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The National Hockey League franchise also would need concessions from ASU as part of a land lease.

At this point, it is unclear if there is state support for the plan. No ASU officials or lawmakers attended Monday’s announcement, and Gov. Doug Ducey’s office declined to comment on it.

But, hey, everyone loves new stadium specs.

So! Denver. Here we are. We’re actually staying downtown on this trip instead of at a hotel situated a seven-minute drive away. From this vantage point, both the Greyhound Bus station (above) and a sliver of Coors Field (below) are visible. There aren’t too many people who get sick of visiting Denver. I can’t remember the last time we visited this city when it was dark, cloudy, stormy or snowy. Many locals refer to the abundant sunshine as their “little secret.” Apart from the marathon-like journey to and from the airport, there are few drawbacks of working a game here.

That’s it for now, Insiders. The Kings are scheduled to skate at Pepsi Center at 11:30 local time. News, updates and audio will be posted to Twitter and LAKI over the next two hours or so. Let’s talk soon.