The NHL buzzes with talk of potential franchises expanding to 33rd and 34th slots. Cities vying for teams include Austin or Houston, with Atlanta emerging as a contender. This week, the Alpharetta City Council in northern Atlanta approved a major redevelopment plan for North Point Mall, potentially paving the way for an NHL team.
Alpharetta’s Approval for Mixed-Use District
The Alpharetta City Council endorsed a plan to transform North Point Mall into a mixed-use entertainment district. This includes a vast arena suitable for housing a professional sports team. Jamestown, along with New York Life and Machete Group, orchestrated the proposal. The site will feature a 20,000-seat arena, making it second in size within the NHL, overshadowed only by Montreal’s Bell Centre.
“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,” remarked Tim Perry, Chief Investment Officer at Jamestown. “This approval reflects the City’s confidence in the transformative opportunity of the project…”
The development plan also includes a music venue, convention space, and a public hockey rink. The entertainment district will host a 4,000-seat music hall, a 2,000-seat community hockey rink, a 1,100-seat movie theater, and a 35,000-square-foot hotel conference center among other amenities.
Competition Within Atlanta
Notably, another venue proposal surfaces in Forsyth County, only seven miles away, underscoring keen interest in the region’s sports landscape.
Historically, Atlanta was home to the Atlanta Flames until their relocation to Calgary and the Atlanta Thrashers who later moved to Winnipeg. Presently, the region supports the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, affiliated with the Nashville Predators, based in Duluth, Georgia.