Bettman: NHL board approves Coyotes sale, new arena needed

LAS VEGAS (AP) Alex Meruelo has been approved as the new majority owner of the Arizona Coyotes during the NHL’s Board of Governors meeting.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday also reaffirmed the league’s belief that the Coyotes need a downtown arena for the long-troubled franchise to have a future in Phoenix.

Andrew Barroway’s sale of a majority stake in the Coyotes to Meruelo won’t be closed until July, but the billionaire entrepreneur is approved to take charge of a franchise that has had several majority owners in the past two decades, including the NHL itself.

Bettman says Meruelo is ”committed” to attempting to get a new arena for the Coyotes. The club currently plays in suburban Glendale, which ”is not viable long-term,” according to Bettman.

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