Atlanta’s Bid for NHL Expansion Team Advances with Arena Approval

The NHL is considering the addition of 33rd and 34th franchises. Atlanta is a strong contender for one franchise, with significant progress made recently.

In a notable development, Alpharetta’s city council, a suburb north of Atlanta, approved a plan to redevelop North Point Mall into a mixed-use entertainment district. This district will feature a substantial arena designed to house an NHL team. This decision passed narrowly with a 4-3 vote.

The project received support from Jamestown, a real estate and placemaking firm, collaborating with New York Life, the site owner, and the Machete Group, known for similar ventures. Tim Perry, Chief Investment Officer at Jamestown, expressed enthusiasm for the project. He highlighted the potential economic and community benefits, positioning North Point as a vibrant, year-round hub for sports, entertainment, and leisure.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this significant milestone and grateful to the City of Alpharetta, its elected officials, staff, and the community for their thorough review and support of our vision for North Point’s future.”

The planned arena at the site will seat 20,000, making it one of the largest in the NHL, only surpassed by Montreal’s Bell Centre. Additional elements of the development include a 4,000-seat music and performing arts center, a 2,000-seat community hockey rink, a 1,100-seat movie theater, and a hotel conference center spanning 35,000 square feet. The initiative also plans to feature extensive hotel accommodations.

This effort is one of two bids to establish an NHL presence in the Atlanta area. Another proposal is underway in Forsyth County, a short distance from Alpharetta.

Atlanta has a history with the NHL, once hosting the Atlanta Flames from 1972 until their relocation to Calgary in 1980. The city then hosted the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 until they moved to Winnipeg in 2011 and became the current Jets.

Currently, the Atlanta area hosts the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, the Nashville Predators’ affiliate, playing in Duluth, Georgia.