Potential Atlanta NHL Expansion Team Thread

[MMC]

It’s called the Gathering at South Forsyth. The multi-year, multi-billion project will feature new restaurants, shops and residential spaces off Georgia 400.

The crown jewel of the project: a 750,000 square foot, state-of-the-art indoor arena with a capacity of more than 18,000 seats.

 

[GreenHornet]

Welp, looks like we should be looking slightly north of Alpharetta?

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[JMCx4]

Welp, looks like we should be looking slightly north of Alpharetta?

"The Gathering" sounds like a religious cult retreat.

 

[Major4Boarding]

Not necessarily directly related to a potential arena in the area, but it sure would be a side benefit. Shuttle service could easily access the area via the North Springs MARTA station (the northern end of rapid rail Red Line). Of course, they could also expand rail service further north, but I don't think that's going to happen.

That hasn't changed? It's been a long, long time since I had to be in Alpharetta but I remember taking the Red Line from Hartsfield-Jackson to a bus stop (about half way there I think) and then bus it the rest of the way.

Getting to Norcross was easier though. Somebody from the Norcross office would pick me up in Chamblee.

 

[mouser]

You would see a suburb of a major city build an arena unless they had it locked in with a primary tenant like Glendale, Boward County in Fla.

KC is different as that became the primary venue for indoor entertainment events so the city that funded it has made it a profitable venture.

Can’t see them breaking ground unless they had it in the bag that they got a team.

This is a oft repeated error. KC arena has not been a profitable venture. Yes, it is generating a positive operating income, but that income is not nearly enough to cover the construction bond payments being made by the city.

 

[tucker3434]

I’m surprised from a couple different angles. I guess the biggest thing is that I thought this would be a slower burn, trapped in bureaucratic hell for a long time, before we had a real, concrete announcement. Where is the financing coming from? I want to know so much more than they’ve given us.

 

[StreetHawk]

This is a oft repeated error. KC arena has not been a profitable venture. Yes, it is generating a positive operating income, but that income is not nearly enough to cover the construction bond payments being made by the city.

Interesting..... Thanks for the correction.

Just looked up their event schedule. It's pretty sparce from April to August (though I would expect summer months to be slower since there aren't really any indoor sports, save for the WNBA).

April 4, May 8, June 4, July 2, August 5, with 1 canceled event from April. So, 24 events over 5 months, which should have been 25. Average of just 5 per month over that time span. That is very low for 5/12 months of the year.

Don't expect KC to be as busy as ATL, LA, NY or a big city.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I somewhat defended (partial) tax payer funded arenas, as I think they really can add to a city/municipality outside of pro sports. I bet that calculation has changed over COVID though.

It's the big football stadiums that are the really bad money sinks for municipalities.

I'd be hesitant on a suburb-based arena, but I know nothing about the area, so will defer to locals. I will say in general I think people underrate how miserable traffic will be in such a situation.

As for Atlanta the market and the NHL - you need a home run owner who owns his own building before the NHL even picks up the phone.

 

[MMC]

The Gathering at South Forsyth

 

[StreetHawk]

I somewhat defended (partial) tax payer funded arenas, as I think they really can add to a city/municipality outside of pro sports. I bet that calculation has changed over COVID though.

It's the big football stadiums that are the really bad money sinks for municipalities.

I'd be hesitant on a suburb-based arena, but I know nothing about the area, so will defer to locals.

As for Atlanta the market and the NHL - you need a home run owner who owns his own building before the NHL even picks up the phone.

Football stadiums are the worst, just given the infrequent use over a full calendar year. Especially, if it's grass, which is better for the players, but much more difficult to maintain if you try to fit in events in September/Oct before the weather changes if it's an outdoor venue. And just due to weather, limited to no events from November to like April at the earliest unless it's like monster cars or something. Only certain markets can attract enough events to make it even close to being worthwhile.

A second arena in the burbs of a market. Look at south FLA with the Heat and Panthers. Does that work for both arenas? Trying to do that with Phx and Tempe. Minny and St. Paul work, but St. Paul is like another metropolitan area with their own downtown core.

 

[William Satterwhite]

That hasn't changed? It's been a long, long time since I had to be in Alpharetta but I remember taking the Red Line from Hartsfield-Jackson to a bus stop (about half way there I think) and then bus it the rest of the way.

Getting to Norcross was easier though. Somebody from the Norcross office would pick me up in Chamblee.

The Windward Park and Ride is, I believe, the furthest north you can get in Alpharetta via Marta

 

[MMC]

News – thegatheringatsouthforsyth.com

On April 25, The Gathering at South Forsyth’s development team will file a request for an
overlay district. Currently, the development plan includes 1.6 million square feet of
commercial and retail space, a 750,000 square foot arena, a 100,000 square foot
community center, a 7,500 square foot fire station, 450 hotel rooms with meeting spaces
and residential units to help support the project.

The project will be introduced on April 25 at the Forsyth County Commission work session at
2 p.m. The public engagement listening sessions will be scheduled for May.

 

[tucker3434]

“The project will be introduced on April 25 at the Forsyth County Commission work session at
2 p.m. The public engagement listening sessions will be scheduled for May.”

Edit: Too slow.

 

[BMN]

"The Gathering" sounds like a religious cult retreat.

Or a tribute to the first closed circuit wrestling show to (partially) emanate from Atlanta.

Also, if this project falls within the city limits I think it falls within, a whole continent of people that didn't know said city name until now will be ready with ribald jokes.....

 

[GreenHornet]

The Windward Park and Ride is, I believe, the furthest north you can get in Alpharetta via Marta

Correct. Forsyth County is NOT part of MARTA.

 

[GreenHornet]

Or a tribute to the first closed circuit wrestling show to (partially) emanate from Atlanta.

Also, if this project falls within the city limits I think it falls within, a whole continent of people that didn't know said city name until now will be ready with ribald jokes.....

"Uh, huh-huh, huh-huh. You said Cumming." OK, you didn't actually say it, but I know you thought it.

 

[nickp91]

New NHL team for Atlanta just doesn't need bad ownership like the Spirit Group

 

[S E P H]

Why do we want an NHL arena outside of Atlanta? This looks like Ottawa Senators 2.0, but I do not have any idea about the geography of Georgia so I am claiming ignorance.

 

[MMC]

 

[Yukon Joe]

Nothing about how it's going to be financed.

The lead person behind this is a fellow named Vernon Krause. Now look, I've never heard of him before. Googling his name tells me he's the owner of 18 different car dealerships.

Now don't get me wrong - selling cars can definitely make you some money. It actually reminds me of Winnipeg's Mark Chipman, who got his start in the same industry.

But let's be clear - Mark Chipman didn't have the money to be able to build the CLC on his own, and didn't have the money to buy the Jets on hiw own.

Mark my words - Mr. Krause is going to be asking for some kind of tax abatement or ultra-low-cost financing, or something else, in order to try and swing this.

 

[BMN]

"Uh, huh-huh, huh-huh. You said Cumming." OK, you didn't actually say it, but I know you thought it.

FWIW, some corrected info leads me to believe my original conclusion was wrong.

Still doesn't mean we can't make the jokes though... :-p

 

[GreenHornet]

New NHL team for Atlanta just doesn't need bad ownership like the Spirit Group

Definitely, but something tells me the NHL angle to this wouldn't even have been brought up if there wasn't a person or group waiting in the wings. This Vernon Kraus guy who's apparently bankrolling all seems like a real macher with a lot of gelt (as my people would say), so it wouldn't shock me if he were also involved in a potential ownership group. Also, I have to think that Anson Carter and his Gladiators ownership partner Alex Campbell would eventually be involved (perhaps as minority partners). I've even heard Tom Glavine's name bandied about again, though not by anyone anywhere near official.

I would hope (and expect) that Bettman and the BoG have learned their lesson from the last time when it comes to vetting potential owners.

 

[MMC]