Looks like head coach Earl Watson might not have been the only victim of the Phoenix Suns’ poor play over the weekend.
Alice Cooper’stown, Alice Cooper’s famed music-and-sports-themed restaurant and bar across the street from the Suns’ arena in downtown Phoenix, closed Sunday.
The Valley ‘‘shock-rock’’ star opened his restaurant in 1998 – when the Suns were making their 10th straight playoff appearance. In addition, the Suns were sharing the arena with the NHL’s Coyotes, who had just moved to the Valley two years earlier.
The venue quickly became one of the most popular pre- and post-game destinations for the teams’ combined 162 annual home games (plus playoffs) as well as those of the Diamondbacks at nearby Chase Field.
Even after the Coyotes moved to Glendale in 2003, Alice Cooper’stown continued to ride the success of the Suns, who made the playoffs five times in the next six years, including three trips to the conference finals.
Since 2010, however, downtown Phoenix’s sports success – as well as the crowds at Alice Cooper’stown – have waned considerably. The Suns have failed to make the playoffs since 2010, the D-Backs since 2011 until this year.
No official explanation for the restaurant’s closure was given – its Facebook page even has been deleted – but insiders had been expecting the closure to follow shortly after the D-Backs’ season ended.
