Coyotes, Glendale due in court for conference

Attorneys for the Arizona Coyotes and Glendale will be back in court Monday for a pretrial conference in Maricopa County Superior Court in a contract dispute that erupted earlier this month.

The Glendale City Council sparked an angry backlash from Coyotes fans and the team when council members voted June 10 to terminate a 15-year, $225 million arena-management agreement with the team.

RELATED: Coyotes seek to force $3.75 million Glendale payment

The move also created turmoil for the Coyotes as the team prepared for its player draft and free-agent signing period.

Glendale claims two former city employees who worked for the Coyotes violated a state conflict-of-interest law and that gives the city the legal right to terminate the agreement.

The Coyotes legal team, headed by James Condo of Snell & Wilmer, went to court June 12 to block the city's effort to kill the deal.

Judge Dawn Bergin granted the team a temporary restraining order and set three evidentiary hearings starting July 31.

The judge could decide Monday whether to allow Glendale to withhold a $3.75 million payment to the Coyotes that is due July 1.

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City Attorney Michael Bailey argued in court June 12 that the city could be entitled to the $3.75 million if it prevails in the case.

Condo said allowing the city to skip the payment would undermine the temporary restraining order.

SAGA OF ARENA DEAL