The Tucson Roadrunners’ time in Southern Arizona isn’t over yet. The Hockey Writers learned a couple of weeks ago that the Roadrunners and Rio Nuevo, who owns the Tucson Convention Center, agreed to extend their lease an additional year, ensuring the team will stay in the city until at least the conclusion of the 2027-28 season. This report was confirmed on Tuesday by the team.
After two years filled with drama and relocation rumors, the pending lease extension quiets those things for now, ensuring the Utah Mammoth’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate will stay for at least two more seasons after this one. Here’s everything you need to know about the breaking news out of Tucson.
The AHL Stays in Southern Arizona for Now
During the last season ticket holders meeting in March, Roadrunners president Bob Hoffman confirmed that the team will play the 2027-28 season in Tucson. The extension is now officially completed, with the team officially announcing the news on Tuesday.
Breaking: The Tucson Roadrunners & the Tucson Convention Center have signed a lease extension that will keep the team in Tucson through the 2027-28 season. STM’s were told earlier this month.
The prior lease agreement was set to expire after next season.#TusksUp #LetsGoTucson
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) March 30, 2026
“We are excited to officially extend our lease with our partners at the City of Tucson, Rio Nuevo, and Legends Global,” Hoffman said. “We have created and nurtured so many great fans in Southern Arizona over more than a decade and are thrilled to continue the legacy and tradition.”
Originally, the Roadrunners’ lease at the historic arena ended after the conclusion of the 2026-27 season. It was rumored that after the conclusion of that season, the team would be relocated to Reno, moving into the new Grand Sierra Resort Arena, which is being built by Roadrunners owner and former Arizona Coyotes owner, Alex Meruelo.
The Roadrunners’ future in Tucson has been up in the air ever since Meruelo sold the Coyotes. At first, Meruelo planned to relocate the team to Tempe, filling the void at Mullett Arena the Coyotes left. That shrank from playing half of the season in Tucson to playing six games to playing none at the former NHL arena.
Then came the Reno rumors. Meruelo secured public money in the city to build a 10,000-seat arena with a public ice rink connected to it. The only tenant as of now is set to be the University of Nevada’s basketball team. However, emails sent to Northern Nevada residents said that a minor league hockey team would also call the arena home.
The GSR sent today an email to Northern Nevada citizens asking for feedback on its new arena and for the first time publicly acknowledged the arena will be home to a minor-league hockey team. Alex Meruelo, who owns the GSR, also owns the Tucson Roadrunners. pic.twitter.com/ZgyohSqioA
— Nevada Sports Net (@NevadaSportsNet) October 1, 2024
Ground was broken on the arena on Oct. 1. A trace of contamination was found in the soil, forcing the project to be halted. A Grand Sierra Resort spokesperson said the timeline for the completion of the arena was still intact.
The 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 marks the start of Reno’s next chapter. Thank you Meruelo Family✨⁰
Learn more at https://t.co/dAVGwPRFlI⁰#GSR #GrandSierraResort #RenoArena #Groundbreaking #MerueloGroup #Gensler #RenoTahoe pic.twitter.com/uludtHdIRJ— Grand Sierra Resort | GSR (@GrandSierra) October 2, 2025
There could be more to that story than what’s been let on, which has culminated in Meruelo and the Roadrunners going to Rio Nuevo and extending the lease. With that in mind, if the Reno Arena does get completed at any point during the 2027-28 season, would Meruelo try to break the lease extension and move the team to Reno midseason? A reminder that the AHL and the league’s board of governors have to approve any relocation.
“I haven’t heard a word from Tucson or Utah about anything that would cause me any concern,” AHL President Scott Howson said back at the 2025 AHL All-Star Challenge. “I think it’s been pretty smooth this year, and I deal with Alex Jr. all the time. Alex is really the point man on the franchise, and we have a great relationship. It’s been fine, very positive.”
Related: Mammoth’s Michael Hrabal Ready for Pro Career After Closing Chapter at UMass
Howson also said back then that all 32 AHL franchises were stable and healthy. However, since then, the Bridgeport Islanders announced they’ll be relocating to Hamilton before the 2026-27 season. It’s the first relocation of an AHL franchise since the 2022-23 season, when the Stockton Heat relocated to Calgary to become the Calgary Wranglers.
On the Reno Arena’s website is a livestream of the construction of the arena. Up until a couple of weeks ago, not much was visibly done. Cranes have started to appear on the site as of late, and the foundation of the arena looks to be dug out. A finishing date of the summer of 2027 looks a little ambitious.
The Roadrunners are celebrating their 10th anniversary in Tucson this season. Some of the highlights this season have included five of the six highest attended games in franchise history, the largest attended game in franchise history, a franchise record for the number of corporate partners and corporate investment, and the franchise record for single game and group ticket sales.
“We’ve created the best experience here in Tucson for fans, players, and residents of all ages,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “Keeping the Roadrunners here means more great memories for years to come. Recreation and sports tourism are an important part of our economy. Having such a great team right here in town is both good fun and good business, and I’m very happy to reach such a mutually beneficial agreement.”
Tonight’s Tucson Roadrunners attendance: 6,137 fans.
That is the highest attended game in franchise history.#TusksUp #LetsGoTucson pic.twitter.com/172pxLTqRq
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) February 1, 2026
More than 140,000 fans have enjoyed a game this season. The lease extension will ensure that Roadrunners fans will continue to do so for the next two seasons.
What Does This Mean?
The lease extension allows the Roadrunners to stay in Tucson until the conclusion of the 2027-28 season, but what happens after that?
A lot is contingent on the construction of the arena in Reno. If it hits more snags and delays, the Roadrunners could stay in Arizona for even longer.
The arena will eventually be built, though. There’s too much public money and investment into the project for it to fail. When that happens, the Roadrunners will be in Reno. It’s hard to envision a Meruelo-owned team staying when there’s a Meruelo-owned building closer to his headquarters.
However, there have been rumors that a different hockey league might take over the Tucson Convention Center. Those rumors were fueled when Hoffman went on a local radio show and answered a question about hockey in Tucson’s future.
“There are so many things that show that hockey works in Tucson, and the Roadrunners have been such a significant part of paving that,” Hoffman said. “Regardless of the ownership or if a team of one iteration may move, I truly believe Tucson will never be without a pro hockey team again.”
A likely option for replacing the Roadrunners is an ECHL team. With the Utah Grizzlies relocating, the West once again has a limited number of teams, with only the Idaho Steelheads, Tahoe Knight Monsters, and New Mexico Goatheads being located west of Texas. Tucson could provide a replacement for the Grizzlies that would make travel a lot easier for those three teams.
For now, the team will stay in Tucson. The Roadrunners have two remaining home games left in their 10th anniversary season. They currently sit eighth in the Pacific Division with a 30-27-9 record.
