Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver was blasted during a city council meeting on Wednesday. (Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver was blasted at a city council meeting to discuss proposed multimillion-dollar renovations for the team’s 26-year-old arena.
Greta Rogers, who lives in the Phoenix area and is a regular critic at council meetings, tore into Sarver. The council was voting on a proposal to spend $150 million to help renovate Talking Stick Arena – the longtime home of the Suns.
Rogers wasn’t having any of it given the Suns’ recent history of losing.
“Mr. Sarver has done nothing to improve this team in the 14 years he's owned it. He's never funded or bought -- paid for -- two or three key players, which makes any professional sports team successful or on the road to success,” she told the council.
“He's so tight he squeaks when he walks. And you have been negotiating with this kind of person? Shame on each and all of you … We are not in the business of paying taxes to support private enterprise. And especially not an entertainment enterprise. They can support themselves or fail on their own lack of diligence.”
Rogers has a history of challenging the Phoenix City Council.
In 2017, she was among those who took exception to the city using a special tax to fund parks: “You gave the middle finger salute to the citizens of the city of Phoenix and then stuck the finger in their eye,” she told the council, according to the Arizona Republic. “I want this money repaid in full.”
In 2016, she expressed support for the city’s plan to tighten security at City Hall but worried about possible congestion in front of the building: “If a gang walked in and had their plan ... they could cause mayhem in that building that would be absolutely appalling,” she said. “I think it's way past time that City Hall should be protected.”
"Mr. Sarver has done nothing to improve this team in the 14 years he's owned it. ... He's so tight he squeaks when he walks."
The vote on arena renovations was delayed until January after not appearing to have the support it needed to pass, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The Suns have played in the arena, which cost $89 million to build, since 1992.
Saver, on Thursday, insisted he planned to keep the Suns in Phoenix despite a report from the Arizona Republic about threats to move the team to Seattle or Las Vegas.
The council member who reportedly leaked Sarver's threats to the newspaper also walked their comments back.