from Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times,

Against a backdrop of 100-degree temperatures, workers last month began implementing the latest changes for a hockey team once just a lone councilman’s vote from winding up in Seattle.

They spent a sweat-filled Saturday tearing down the outdoor facade at the Jobing.com Arena to replace it with the name of the venue’s new Native American tribal rights-holder. Four days later, the Glendale City Council approved renaming it Gila River Arena, home to the Arizona Coyotes, in a vote far less acrimonious than their past meetings involving the NHL club.

In fact, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office is investigating events leading up to the council’s contentious vote 15 months ago approving a new arena lease agreement by a 4-3 margin and keeping the then-Phoenix Coyotes from relocating to Seattle.

Three sources with knowledge of negotiations confirm the Coyotes would have been bought by New York investment banker Ray Bartoszek and his partner Anthony Lanza and moved to Seattle as soon as the following day — playing up to three seasons at KeyArena — had the vote not passed.

“Most people don’t realize how close we were to actually getting an NHL team,’’ says former Seattle mayor Mike McGinn, who had been involved in the relocation talks.

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