Will Atlanta Get Another Team?

[AtlantaWhaler]

then why was it transformed into a basketball only configuration, and why is the metro so spread out that Cobb County now is 'technically' Metro Atlanta, not Fulton County, ie, why did the Braves bolt Fulton for Cobb, and why is Cobb now the center of entertainment, even the speedway isn't in Atlanta, but Hampton, sd

A new basketball owner just bought the team and arena. It's not "make sure we can't put hockey in here" like you seem to be thinking. I can't imagine it takes much to turn that "hockey compatible". As far as the Braves, they just moved 20 minutes north. For the reason, just look at the map. Plus, they got the amount of land they wanted to build a full entertainment sector.

I don't understand the point you're going for here.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

A new basketball owner just bought the team and arena. It's not "make sure we can't put hockey in here" like you seem to be thinking. I can't imagine it takes much to turn that "hockey compatible". As far as the Braves, they just moved 20 minutes north. For the reason, just look at the map. Plus, they got the amount of land they wanted to build a full entertainment sector.

I don't understand the point you're going for here.

the point is SFA will never return to a hockey configuration once the decision was made to reconfigure, why did Georgia State be awarded Turner Field, the point is Fulton County is no longer Metro Atlanta, Cobb/Gwinnett is where everything migrated to

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

the point is SFA will never return to a hockey configuration once the decision was made to reconfigure, why did Georgia State be awarded Turner Field, the point is Fulton County is no longer Metro Atlanta, Cobb/Gwinnett is where everything migrated to

I've never seen anything that states that the arena can't support hockey without a major renovation. So that seems to be speculation unless you have a source. Even then, let's not forget the Islanders played at Barclays.

Where everything migrated too? Like the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium?

 

[sexydonut]

chrdanhutch,

Turning a basketball-only arena to suit hockey results in a huge compromise. Look at Barclays arena. Same thing with the old Coyotes/Suns home in downtown Phoenix. The Atlanta arena was built with hockey in mind, consequently its floor plate and surrounding lower bowl fit a 200x85 NHL ice sheet. The lower bowl hasn't been gutted. I'm saying this as an architect who has seen similar arena designs.

The new Hawks owners SAY the renovated arena cannot suit hockey, only cause they do not want a competitor on their turf. If these guys owned the Atlanta NHL franchise, their editorial would surely change.

As far as the Braves moving north, I can't see how it is pertinent to Atlanta getting another hockey team. If/when some rich guy shows interest and lobbies the local authorities for subsidized real estate/infrastructure and/or tax breaks, the rhetoric will suddenly change again.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

chrdanhutch,

Turning a basketball-only arena to suit hockey results in a huge compromise. Look at Barclays arena. Same thing with the old Coyotes/Suns home in downtown Phoenix. The Atlanta arena was built with hockey in mind, consequently its floor plate and surrounding lower bowl fit a 200x85 NHL ice sheet. The lower bowl hasn't been gutted. I'm saying this as an architect who has seen similar arena designs.

The new Hawks owners SAY the renovated arena cannot suit hockey, only cause they do not want a competitor on their turf. If these guys owned the Atlanta NHL franchise, their editorial would surely change.

As far as the Braves moving north, I can't see how it is pertinent to Atlanta getting another hockey team. If/when some rich guy shows interest and lobbies the local authorities for subsidized real estate/infrastructure and/or tax breaks, the rhetoric will suddenly change again.

disagree, sexydonut

how is that any different with Boston, Philadelphia, to name two

 

[sexydonut]

What are you talking about? Arena design? Locations of said arenas?

Both the Boston and Philadelphia NHL/NBA arenas were built with hockey in mind. The real issue comes from the smaller bowl of basketball specific arenas--the old Coyotes/Suns arena, Barclays in Brooklyn, the one in Salt Lake City, the Golden 1 in Sacramento. You can discern these basketball-optimized arenas apart from multipurpose hockey/basketball ones easily--Look at the seating charts.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

What are you talking about? Arena design? Locations of said arenas?

Both the Boston and Philadelphia NHL/NBA arenas were built with hockey in mind. The real issue comes from the smaller bowl of basketball specific arenas--the old Coyotes/Suns arena, Barclays in Brooklyn, the one in Salt Lake City, the Golden 1 in Sacramento. You can discern these basketball-optimized arenas apart from multipurpose hockey/basketball ones easily--Look at the seating charts.

again, it is highly improbable you will ever see SFA used as a hockey facility, which is why the remodel was done

 

[sexydonut]

Look, I have no dog in this fight. The current owners of the Atlanta Hawks sure don't want the SFA used as a hockey arena, as they don't want the competition. Unless of course, the Hawks' end up with a franchise, as then we'll see these lying oligarchs change their tune.

It doesn't mean SFA cannot physically host an NHL sized ice sheet again. Those renovations cited by SFA are just incremental. They did not demolish and rebuild the lower bowl. The hard points involving concrete foundations and structural steel were not altered.

I have no idea why you continue to post in this topic. You still don't see the difference between a multipurpose hockey/basketball arena and the rarer, cheaper basketball-only arena models. SFA STILL belongs to the former archetype, despite what the Hawks' owners claim.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Look, I have no dog in this fight. The current owners of the Atlanta Hawks sure don't want the SFA used as a hockey arena, as they don't want the competition. Unless of course, the Hawks' end up with a franchise, as then we'll see these lying oligarchs change their tune.

It doesn't mean SFA cannot physically host an NHL sized ice sheet again. Those renovations cited by SFA are just incremental. They did not demolish and rebuild the lower bowl. The hard points involving concrete foundations and structural steel were not altered.

I have no idea why you continue to post in this topic. You still don't see the difference between a multipurpose hockey/basketball arena and the rarer, cheaper basketball-only arena models. SFA STILL belongs to the former archetype, despite what the Hawks' owners claim.

the point is no one is interested in downtown Atlanta, and everything has gone away from the metro, sexydonut, so why are u so dead set on bringing hockey back to downtown ATL?

 

[sexydonut]

LOL. I've been to Atlanta before. More like Atlanta has a piss-poor transit system, endless low density urban sprawl, and has stark divides based on ethnicity and wealth. Really no different than 99% of American urban areas built since the automobile/freeway era.

I get the feeling you have never been there.

Point is, SFA can easily host hockey--Its floor plate has not changed. Yet you swallowed the line of the Hawks' owners. That, and new arenas are continually being built--Often to benefit a few rich guys and subsidized by everyone else.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

LOL. I've been to Atlanta before. More like Atlanta has a piss-poor transit system, endless low density urban sprawl, and has stark divides based on ethnicity and wealth. Really no different than 99% of American urban areas built since the automobile/freeway era.

I get the feeling you have never been there.

Point is, SFA can easily host hockey--Its floor plate has not changed. Yet you swallowed the line of the Hawks' owners. That, and new arenas are continually being built--Often to benefit a few rich guys and subsidized by everyone else.

then most of the board has......

 

[sexydonut]

I can't help it if you guys don't understand architecture. Hint, look at the seating charts of SFA vs. other multipurpose arenas vs. basketball-specific arenas. Unless of course, those seating charts are lying. LOL.

I can't help it if you guys are gullible enough to believe the PR from a bunch of carpetbaggers.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

the point is no one is interested in downtown Atlanta, and everything has gone away from the metro, sexydonut, so why are u so dead set on bringing hockey back to downtown ATL?

Why do you keep saying that? The Super Bowl hosting Mercedes Benz stadium was built 2 years ago across the street. The city just approved lending bonds on $8 billion for development across the street (the Gulch). Are you just guessing?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Why do you keep saying that? The Super Bowl hosting Mercedes Benz stadium was built 2 years ago across the street. The city just approved lending bonds on $8 billion for development across the street (the Gulch). You don’t know what you’re talking about.

uh, the Georgia Dome went down, so why is THE NEED for SFA

 

[sexydonut]

Holy hell chrdanhutch. You cite the Georgia Dome's demolition as evidence of DT Atlanta going to hell? You do realize the Georgia Dome was replaced by an even more expensive, more outlandish stadium?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Holy hell chrdanhutch. I'm not sure if this is trolling, but you cite the Georgia Dome's demolition as evidence of DT Atlanta going to hell? You do realize the Georgia Dome was replaced by an even more expensive, more outlandish stadium?

the Braves left, the hockey team's not even in the metro, despite the so called "marketing" AND EVEN THAT'S A STRETCH, last I recall, Fulton County is ATLANTA, not COBB

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

the Braves left, the hockey team's not even in the metro, despite the so called "marketing" AND EVEN THAT'S A STRETCH, last I recall, Fulton County is ATLANTA, not COBB

The Braves moved 20 minutes north so they can get the land (and incentives) to build a live and entertainment destination around a new stadium. It’s been a huge success. Brand new Mercedes Benz stadium, located downtown, is hosting a Super Bowl in a month and sells out MLS games to the tune of 70,000 (hosting the championship tomorrow).

You’re so wrong about everything you’ve written about Atlanta that I’ve forgotten what point you’re trying to make.

 

[sexydonut]

^No point to trying to figure him out. The arguments are all over the place.

Team moved twice.
Basketball team doesn't want them.
Arena magically transformed into a hockey-free zone.
DT Atlanta is being abandoned.
Georgia Dome was torn down.
Cobb Co =/= Fulton Co.

Maybe he's seen one too many episodes of the Walking Dead, and he assumes Atlanta really is being abandoned. Still does not explain the Hawks and Falcons and Atlanta soccer in DT Atlanta.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

the Braves left, the hockey team's not even in the metro, despite the so called "marketing" AND EVEN THAT'S A STRETCH, last I recall, Fulton County is ATLANTA, not COBB

The Braves are noted above.

The Gladiators have never been a candidate to move downtown. It makes zero sense to drop any ECHL team into a 17,500 seat arena. [There's exactly 8 AHL teams playing in an arena seating 12,000 or more, and only two - Cleveland and San Jose - play in an arena larger than 17,000, and neither of those come close to filling that arena ... just like none of them in an arena 10,000 or over fill it.] Only one (1) AHL team located in Canada plays in an arena larger than 10,000: Manitoba, who plays in Bell MTS Place with the Jets. [Laval is in an arena with a capacity of 10,000.] The Moose don't come close to filling it, and attendance has been declining. Belleville can't even fill a 4400 seat arena. Do we draw leaping conclusions about the desire of die-hard, true hockey fans to support pro hockey at any level?

To paraphrase something you said earlier, I don't understand why you're so dead on railing about hockey in Atlanta. It doesn't cost you anything if there is or isn't pro hockey there, just like it doesn't cost me anything if there is or isn't pro hockey there. The weird quasi-obsession with Atlanta and hockey, ... well, I guess I have other things I can be doing that are far more interesting, far more fulfilling, and far less stressful.

 

[sexydonut]

^chrdanhutch also fails to realize that Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, etc. are all part of the same metro area, and Georgia is infamous for geographically tiny counties.

 

[Mayor Bee]

A new basketball owner just bought the team and arena. It's not "make sure we can't put hockey in here" like you seem to be thinking. I can't imagine it takes much to turn that "hockey compatible". As far as the Braves, they just moved 20 minutes north. For the reason, just look at the map. Plus, they got the amount of land they wanted to build a full entertainment sector.

In Atlanta traffic, 20 minutes north is...what, a quarter-mile?

 

[sexydonut]

^Just wait until people experience gridlock and road rage while trying to attend the Seattle games.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

In Atlanta traffic, 20 minutes north is...what, a quarter-mile?

Meh... depending on game time, Waze, and knowledge of backroads.

10 miles north anyway.

 

[oknazevad]

What are you talking about? Arena design? Locations of said arenas?

Both the Boston and Philadelphia NHL/NBA arenas were built with hockey in mind. The real issue comes from the smaller bowl of basketball specific arenas--the old Coyotes/Suns arena, Barclays in Brooklyn, the one in Salt Lake City, the Golden 1 in Sacramento. You can discern these basketball-optimized arenas apart from multipurpose hockey/basketball ones easily--Look at the seating charts.

The arenas in Utah and Sacramento don't even have the major issue that Barclays has, the off-center, asymmetrical seating configuration for hockey. Heck, the Salt Lake arena was even used for skating event at the 2002 Winter Olympics, though the ice surface does require a lot of retracted seats. They may not have the best angles in their upper levels, being optimized for basketball, but they are still essentially symmetrical. (Honestly, I'm kinda surprised the new arena in Sacramento is not more asymmetrical, as there's little chance of a permanent hockey tenant unless the Sharks move their AHL team there, and even then a minor league team doesn't need the whole arena anyway.)

As is State Farm Arena; the new renovations do not appear to have altered the general seating bowl shape, and there is still movable seats around the entire floor, not just at one end. The renovations have not made the building unsuitable for hockey, just opened it up instead of the wall of glass that used to dominate one side.

The six NBA arenas with off-center ice are Barclays in Brooklyn, Charlotte, Indiana, Memphis, Phoenix, and San Antonio. Seattle, after the 1990s renovations, also was off-center, but the new rebuild for the NHL expansion team will reverse that as it's essentially an entire new arena under the old roof.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Ya I am not going to count a team that existed in 1917, the NHL was barely the NHL at that point.

Stop trying to twist the narrative the situations in Quebec and Atlanta are not the same

Atlanta has had 2 legitimate shots at the NHL and failed both times, the 2nd time because the fans simply did no give a **** about hockey.

Quebec lost their team not because of fan support but because the Canadian dollar was at something like 66 cents US.

That right there tells me that you know NOTHING about the Atlanta situation. Way to prove your point.