Try dropping this part using public_ip too

playbooks/temp_cloud_instance.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # setup a transient fedora instance
-# optionally can take -e "name=something image=imagename public_ips=public_ip root_auth_users='user1 user2 user3'"
+# optionally can take -e "name=something image=imagename root_auth_users='user1 user2 user3'"
 
 - name: check/create instance
   hosts: lockbox01.phx2.fedoraproject.org

tasks/transient_cloud_new.yml

@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 # New tasks to spin up instance in https://fed-cloud09.cloud.fedoraproject.org
 
-- name: check it out
-  local_action: shell nc -d -z -w 5 {{ public_ip }} 22 >>/dev/null
-  register: host_is_up
-  ignore_errors: true
-
 - name: spin UP VM using nova_compute
   sudo: False
   local_action: