But Lamont said Thursday that nothing in imminent.
“No. I think it’s going to be quiet for some time to come,” Lamont said. “They’re negotiating in and around the Arizona area. People know and Gary Bettman knows, I talked to him, he’s the commissioner, that Connecticut is ready. Hartford is ready. We’ve got an ownership team if they want to make a change there. We have the XL Center. We have strong support.”
Voters in Tempe, Arizona rejected a new arena proposal for the Coyotes, leading Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin to endorse a move to Hartford. Bronin tweeted last Thursday that he believes the Coyotes should strongly consider Hartford, which has been without an NHL franchise since the Hartford Whalers left in 1997.
Lamont later spoke to Bronin and said he reached out to the NHL.
“This is a great hockey state and a great hockey town,” he said last week. “It’s evidenced by the passion we have for the Whalers going back years, still one of the best selling jerseys. I think we can guarantee them a very strong market right here, and a government that’s ready to come and be their partner.”
The Capital Region Development Authority is preparing to field bids to revamp the 48-year-old XL Center at a cost of least $107 million. It’s unclear if a refurbished XL Center would be a long-term option or if Hartford would need a new arena to lure the NHL back to the city.
The Whalers left for North Carolina in 1997 because the franchise was looking for a new arena and more corporate support.
Lamont said he believes there is support for a franchise. California businessman Alex Meruelo is the majority owner of the Coyotes and there are no indications he is selling the franchise, but Lamont suggested Thursday that Connecticut has a group ready to bid.
For now, the team is expected to play next season at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena, which holds about 5,000 fans.
“I think an NHL team would thrive in Hartford and in Connecticut,” Bronin said last week.
Ken Dixon contributed
