The NHL is generating excitement with discussions about expanding the league by adding 33rd and 34th franchises. One of those potential franchises is being considered for either Austin or Houston. Meanwhile, Atlanta is emerging as a strong candidate for the other franchise.
This week, the city council in Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta, voted 4-3 in favor of redeveloping the North Point Mall into a mixed-use entertainment district. This district will include a large arena that could become home to a new NHL team.
Led by real estate and placemaking firm Jamestown and site owner New York Life, the proposal received approval. The partnership with real estate developer Machete Group, known for similar projects, is instrumental in advancing this plan.
“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,” stated Tim Perry, Chief Investment Officer at Jamestown. “This approval reflects the City’s confidence in the transformative opportunity of the project and in Jamestown’s ability to bring this vision to life.”
The development includes a 20,000-seat arena, making it the second largest in the league, trailing only Montreal’s Bell Centre. Additional facilities will feature a 4,000-seat music hall, a 2,000-seat public hockey rink, a 1,100-seat movie theater, and a 35,000-square-foot hotel conference center. There will also be accommodations available in hundreds of rooms across two hotels.
Interestingly, Alpharetta is not alone in eyeing an NHL franchise. Another proposed project in Forsyth County, just seven miles away, is in the works, indicating strong regional interest. Atlanta’s previous NHL teams include the Atlanta Flames, who relocated to Calgary from 1972 to 1980, and the Atlanta Thrashers, who moved to Winnipeg in 2011 and became the Winnipeg Jets.
Currently, the Atlanta area hosts the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, affiliated with the Nashville Predators, stationed in Duluth, Georgia.