Ruling on Coyotes move could come Wednesday - San Francisco Business Times:

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U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judged Redfield Baum struggled to stay on taskat Tuesday’e hearing as attorneys representing Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes, the city of the and other professional sports leagues delivered hours of oral argumentsa over bankruptcy code, anti-trust law, relocation and other legap issues. Baum and the myriad of attorneys delvedc into obscure bankruptcy provisionas and past relocations by teams includingb theOakland Raiders, San Diegko Clippers, Quebec Nordiques and Baltimore Colts.
Baum focusecd on whether Balsillie will have to pay the NHL a relocatiohn fee on top ofhis $213 millioj offer to buy the financially strapped Coyotese from Phoenix trucking company owner Jerryg Moyes. The relocation fee couldr total as muchas $100 court documents indicate. Baum appearas ready to rule that the NHL has the rightx to the Hamilton market and if the Coyotese aremoved there, Balsillie will have to compensat the league for loss of an expansion The city of Glendale pressed Baum to consider legal claims and costes that would accompany a move to Canada. That coulsd offset an offer as lowas $140 millionn by parties wanting to keep the team in Arizona, city representativew said.
Glendale officials said they woulds make a claim for as muchas $500 million if the team breaksz its lease at the city-owned Jobing.co m Arena. Arena concessionaire Aramark Corp. also coulf make a claim. Moyeas and Balsillie’s attorneys argued that a lease clain is subject to various monetary caps and that the courgt can discharge lease terms and penalties in orded to maximizethe team’s value for Moyes said a decision could come Wednesday and has urged the cour to hold an auction sale for the hockeuy team on June 22. The NHL and Glendalre say the sale should be put off until Augusft and the league said it will financd the Coyotes into next season ifneed be.
Glendalee attorneys also pressed Baum to find out how much monet Moyes may have taken out ofthe team. They point to the fact the Coyotess spend money leasing private office spacs at Westgate City Center instead of usingarena offices. Moyes spokesma n Steve Roman saidthe city’s speculatiojn that Moyes is profitingb from that arrangement is false. Moyes and Westgatee developer Steve Ellman split joint includingthe Coyotes, in 2006 with Moyesa taking over as team owner. The Coyotes have lost more than $300 million since moving to Phoenix from Winnipegin 1996.