NHL Awaits Solid Plan for Expansion in Atlanta
The National Hockey League (NHL) is awaiting a “fully developed plan” from a group of owners in Atlanta before considering the possibility of bringing an expansion team to the city, according to Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. Daly revealed that the NHL met with several groups in July seeking to make Atlanta the league’s 33rd team. However, the conversations have not “matured to the point of having a concrete proposal”. One of the projects is led by Krause Sports and Entertainment. Forsyth County has approved plans for a $3 billion development called The Gathering at South Forsyth, which includes a stadium with NHL capacity. There is a competing proposal from the Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group, which seeks to develop the North Point Mall site in Alpharetta, about 30 minutes from where the Thrashers used to play.Daly explained that the NHL does not need construction to begin on any of the projects to present the Atlanta expansion to its owners. The NHL has already tried to establish itself in Atlanta on two previous occasions, with the Flames, who moved to Calgary in 1980, and the Thrashers, who moved to Winnipeg in 2011. In June, the NHL announced that it has not opened a formal expansion process, but is listening to expressions of interest from potential owners and cities. Atlanta and Houston have received the most attention. Daly stated that the NHL is “in a unique position” for further expansion due to its broad player base. The NHL went from 30 to 32 clubs with the addition of Vegas in 2017-18 and Seattle in 2021-22. The most recent property sale in the NHL was when Michael Andlauer bought the Ottawa Senators in June 2023.We need a plan that is a little more viable than what we currently have.
Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner
