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Friday is first of 2 home openers





Glendale Arena opens Dec. 27



Tim Tyers
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 8, 2003 12:00 AM



Coyotes President Doug Moss calls it a weird situation.

Seldom does an NHL team have two opening nights at home, but the Coyotes qualify. The first comes Friday, when they host St. Louis at America West Arena. The second is Dec. 27, when they host Nashville in the grand opening of the new Glendale Arena.

"It means we're changing a lot," Moss said. "We've gone from a hockey team renting a building to play in for the last seven years, to an organization that is a hockey team that operates, books dates and runs the physical plant of its own building."

After 13 games at AWA, the Coyotes will move into their new home that seats 17,799 for hockey (20,000 for concerts). It is modeled somewhat after the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., with features from several other new buildings.

"The focal point of the building is the bowl itself," Moss said. "The environment for hockey and concerts and other shows will be incredible. The atmosphere will be a throwback to stadiums like the old Boston Garden and those places, where fans will feel they're right on top of the action. The low roof and deep seating grade is going to make a very loud, exciting place.

"It has a very warm personality. Fans sitting in the upper concourse will see hockey like they never have before. Because of the seating grade, they won't be looking through a guy in front of them, they'll be looking over them and feel like they're right there."

In addition to a state-of-the-art digital scoreboard over the ice, the arena also features an electronic 360-degree message/advertising board encircling the arena. The building contains 89 corporate suites on two levels that will provide revenue streams previously unavailable at AWA.

"Season ticket sales are running ahead of last year," said Moss, when asked if the team is losing much of its East Valley clientele. "A lot of (East Valley) people are moving with us, but I'd say the majority of new season tickets mini-ticket plans are from the west side. There are a lot of people who were Coyotes fans who didn't make the trek to America West, too.

"The financial impact will be considerable, but we'll have to wait until end of season to know how much. The increase of corporate suite sales will help. There's nothing like a new building to get people energized."

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