Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs is going after the team and meeting with team ownership to discuss building a new hockey arena and retail complex in the West Valley. According to a published report, Scruggs has met with Coyotes owner Steve Ellman twice in the past month.

Ellman is locked in negotiations with the city of Scottsdale regarding a $540-million entertainment development that will be anchored by an ice hockey arena for the team. Scottsdale, which will contribute as much as $200 million in public funds toward the project, wants a "terms sheet" with Ellman that would include a higher return to the city than what Ellman had initially proposed.

The relationship between Ellman and Scottsdale has been rocky for more than a year--ever since Ellman ran into trouble purchasing the team and delayed the project start date. Ellman, along with co-owner Wayne Gretzky, finally closed on the purchase of the team earlier this year. Development agreement negotiations are continuing, however, with the next meeting on Monday, Apr. 9.

A 17,500-seat ice hockey arena would be the cornerstone of a 1.75 million-sf entertainment and shopping complex, which is proposed for the southeast corner of McDowell and Scottsdale roads. Ellman has suggested that no tax money be used to build the stadium itself, but that the $200 million in public funds be used for parking and infrastructure improvements. The project will include hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space, a multi-screen movie theater, bars, restaurants, office space, a YMCA center, 7,000 parking spaces and apartments.

Glendale, which according to the latest census figures is the state's fourth largest city with about 221,000 residents, is itching to have a major sports team based there.

Scruggs wouldn't identify the proposed Glendale site for the arena and retail complex, but she did say that the city is focusing on developing its southwest corner near the recently opened Loop 101.