Glendale has rejected the signatures turned in by critics of the city’s deal with the prospective new owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. They’d wanted to give city voters a chance to overturn the 20-year, $324 million lease agreement. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Mark Brodie reports.

MARK BRODIE: Two Glendale residents had turned in more than 1,500 signatures. But, there were disagreements with the city over how many signatures were needed, and the deadline for submitting them. In a letter, Glendale’s City Clerk cited those reasons, and one more, for rejecting the signatures. Ken Jones, one of the campaign’s organizers, says he expected that to happen. He says critics of the Coyotes deal will take a few days and decide what to do next.

KEN JONES: We’ve had several years of just going broke over here to support sports. So, we’re determined now to take this one thing, and stay on it until the hockey fans are paying for hockey, and the citizens’ tax money is not used for it.

BRODIE: Jones says critics could take the city to court, to get the issue on next year’s ballot, or wait until a new city council is seated next year, and push for a $30 per ticket surcharge, to pay to keep the team in Glendale.