Atlanta and Alpharetta Set Sights on NHL Franchise

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Potential NHL Expansion in Austin or Houston

The National Hockey League is buzzing with rumors of expansion. The league might add 33rd and 34th franchises soon, with one likely heading to Austin or Houston. Atlanta has emerged as a contender for the other franchise — a familiar choice, considering its previous NHL teams.

Alpharetta’s Major Development Milestone

This week, Alpharetta, a northern suburb of Atlanta, took a significant step towards hosting an NHL team. The City Council voted 4-3 in favor of redeveloping the North Point Mall into a mixed-use entertainment district, featuring a large arena suitable for an NHL team.

Led by Jamestown, a real estate and placemaking firm, along with New York Life, the site owner, and Machete Group, a real estate developer, the proposal promises an entertainment district anchored by a 20,000-seat arena. This arena would rank as the second-largest in the NHL, trailing only Montreal’s Bell Centre.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this significant milestone,” said Tim Perry, Chief Investment Officer at Jamestown. “This approval reflects the City’s confidence in the transformative opportunity of the project.”

The development will include a music venue, convention space, and a public hockey rink with 2,000 seats.

Comprehensive Mixed-Use Development

The proposed site will host various facilities, including:

A 4,000-seat music hall and performing arts center
A 2,000-seat community hockey rink
A 1,100-seat movie theater
A 35,000-square-foot hotel conference center
Two hotels providing hundreds of rooms

Efforts to build the district received support from the Alpharetta City Council, marking a pivotal moment in Atlanta’s quest for an NHL team. Interestingly, another project for an NHL venue is being proposed in nearby Forsyth County.

Atlanta’s NHL History

Atlanta’s past involvement with the NHL includes the Atlanta Flames from 1972 to 1980, until they moved to Calgary. The city later hosted the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2011, who relocated to Winnipeg and became the current Winnipeg Jets.

The Atlanta area currently supports the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, affiliated with the Nashville Predators, and playing in Duluth, Georgia.