Sky Schaudt/KJZZ

Gila River Arena opened in 2003.

The City of Glendale has chosen a replacement for the Arizona Coyotes as manager of Gila River Arena, and the city has issued a notice of intent to award the contract to the company that owns the Los Angeles Kings hockey franchise.

The notice means Glendale will soon start negotiations with the company, AEG Facilities, and the city council could approve an agreement within 60 days.

Besides owning the Kings, AEG operates venues that are home to four other National Hockey League teams, said Kevin Phelps, Glendale city manager.

“We felt AEG gets hockey better than anybody else in the world,” Phelps said.

Coyotes President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc released a statement congratulating AEG and saying he looks forward to a seamless transition. The city’s revised deal with the team allows it to take control of the arena in July.

Glendale hopes that AEG can help convince the Arizona Coyotes to stay in the in the West Valley beyond next year.

Glendale also chose AEG because it owns an entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles that is similar to Westgate, Phelps said. And because AEG averaged about 30 concerts a year when it previously booked shows at Gila River Arena.   

“Some of our most successful concert years (were) when AEG was here,” Phelps said.

The Coyotes previously said they were considering a move to Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum while efforts to build an arena in downtown Phoenix or the East Valley play out.

Glendale officials have repeatedly said hiring a new arena manager is about getting the best deal for taxpayers, and they want the Coyotes to stay in Glendale.