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Forsyth County gets update on project to lure NHL franchise to Georgia

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Published  February 20, 2025 11:54pm EST
Forsyth County
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • Developers are working on finalizing documents to present to the NHL for a potential expansion team in Forsyth County, Georgia, but there is no set timeline for a decision.
    • The proposed development, The Gathering at South Forsyth, includes an 18,000-seat hockey arena and a mixed-use community, fully funded by real estate taxes from the site.
    • The project is located near Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road, and aims to rival Truist Park’s The Battery in terms of community integration.
    • Metro Atlanta has previously lost two NHL teams, the Flames and the Thrashers, and the NHL currently has no plans to expand or relocate a team to Atlanta.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - Hockey fans in Georgia may be one step closer to seeing an NHL team in Forsyth County.

County officials provided a brief update Thursday morning on plans for The Gathering at Forsyth, a proposed development that would serve as the home for the potential franchise.

Could another NHL franchise come to Georgia?

What we know:

Developers say they are in the process of finalizing documents to present to the NHL as they continue efforts to secure an expansion team. However, there is no set timeline for when the league might decide on bringing professional hockey back to the Atlanta metro area.

The NHL has not had a team in the region since the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg in 2011.

What we don't know:

A definitive timeline for the construction of the project has not been released, and it remains unclear if it would indeed pull enough interest to draw an NHL team back to Georgia for a third time.

The Gathering at South Forsyth

The backstory:

This past March, Fulton County commissioners entered into a binding memorandum of understanding with Krause Sports and Entertainment, the developers of the new multi-billion-dollar arena and community, The Gathering at South Forsyth. It would feature an 18,000-seat hockey arena at the center of hotels, homes, and restaurants. Developers on Tuesday night presented their project to the taxpayers. 

The proposed live-work-play center would be located at Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road, about a mile from Georgia 400. 

Taxpayers are being promised they will not be paying for a thing. The project would be fully funded by real estate taxes from buildings on the 102-acre site. 

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A new sporting arena and adjacent community that would rival Truist Park’s The Battery could be coming soon to Forsyth County. (Supplied)

Memories of the Flames, Thrashers

Dig deeper:

Metro Atlanta has already had two pro-hockey teams leave the area: the Flames and the Thrashers. The NHL has expressed no plans to expand the league or move a team to Atlanta. 

However, the developers believe it is the right location and that they feel they may have the right team. 

What would happen to the project if it didn't land the NHL team? Developer Vernon Krause says he would have to reassess things. 

Krause would like to open the arena in time for the 2027 NHL season. 

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The Source: This article is based on proceedings during a Forsyth County government meeting on Thursday. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used with links in the article.

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