The Gathering at South Forsyth

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The Gathering at South Forsyth
Alpharetta Arena.jpg
The Gathering at South Forsyth
Location Alpharetta, Georgia
Coordinates 34°06′12″N84°14′04″W / 34.103462°N 84.234447°W / 34.103462; -84.234447
OperatorKrause Sports & Entertainment
Type Arena
Capacity 18,500
Construction
Broke groundTBD
OpenedTBD
Construction cost$700 million
Architect FRCH Design Worldwide
Project managerASM Global
Website
thegatheringatsouthforsyth.com

The Gathering at South Forsyth is a proposed mixed-use development in the Atlanta metropolitan area to be located in Forsyth County, Georgia near the city of Alpharetta. The centerpiece of the development is an 18,000-seat arena, intended to bring a National Hockey League franchise back to the Atlanta area.

Contents

The Gathering at South Forsyth is modeled after The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development in Cobb County anchored by Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball.

History

In 2023, rumors of an NHL team returning to Atlanta began to emerge from ESPN analyst John Buccigross as hints were dropped about Atlanta coming back to the NHL for the first time since the Atlanta Thrashers left in 2011. [1]

On April 17, 2023, Vernon Krause, an Atlanta area businessman and CEO of Krause Sports & Entertainment, announced plans to build an entertainment center called The Gathering at South Forsyth which includes an arena built for a potential NHL team. The Gathering is planned to be built on an undeveloped 100-acre (40 ha) tract of land originally zoned for a shopping center at the intersection of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road, off Georgia State Route 400 near the Forsyth–Fulton County line. If built, the arena would sit 18,000 for hockey and 20,000 for concerts. [2] A week later, on April 25, the Forsyth County Board approved plans to move forward with the project. [3]

Then in December 2023, fellow ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes revealed more details on The Gathering at South Forsyth which said the plans would move forward. [4] In January 2024, The county commissioners voted 4 to 1 to move plans forward again on the massive complex which would cost $2 billion; the county also approved upwards of $390 million of public funds towards the project on the condition that Krause secures an NHL franchise. [5] Krause held a public forum on the Forsyth campus of Lanier Technical College on March 19, 2024, seeking input from Forysth County residents regarding The Gathering development ahead of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners meeting the following week. [6] Although the Board of Commissioners approved a revised memorandum of understanding during their March 26 meeting, which included reducing the county's maximum contribution for the project to $225 million, Krause expressed disappointment over last-minute changes to the MOU. [7]

In March 2024, details on the cost of the arena came out which said that the arena would cost $700 million and that ASM Global would manage the arena, a group that has managed other arenas such as, T-Mobile Arena and Crypto.com Arena. [8] In the November 2024 general elections, residents of Forsyth County voted 56–44 in favor of granting the county redevelopment powers over The Gathering at South Forsyth, creating a tax allocation district to repay the county's bonds towards the project. [9]

Also in March, former NHL player Anson Carter and his new group Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment revealed a competing bid for a potential Atlanta NHL expansion team; Carter's proposal would be located at the site of the North Point Mall, six miles (10 km) south of The Gathering at South Forsyth site. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ "Insiders hint at 2 new NHL expansion teams". HockeyFeed. 2023-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  2. ↑ "Planned Forsyth County development could feature 750,000-square-foot arena". Atlanta News First. April 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ Klein, Zach (April 17, 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: $1 billion arena with development bigger than the Battery proposed in north metro". WSB-TV. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Arena project 'full speed' ahead in hopes of landing NHL franchise". Urbanize Atlanta. December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Members of Forsyth County development 'The Gathering' meet with NHL about potential team". 11 Alive. January 31, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  6. ↑ Alcorn, Cody (March 20, 2024). "Dozens of residents let their voices be heard on possible NHL franchise at The Gathering in Forsyth". WXIA-TV. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Proposed entertainment hub, arena in Forsyth County hits roadblock after developer disagreement". Atlanta News First. March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  8. ↑ "The Gathering at South Forsyth selects group that manages Las Vegas, LA arenas to help develop arena". WSB-TV. March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  9. ↑ Skinner, Joshua (November 6, 2024). "Forsyth County voters approve tax allocation to pay for new arena". Atlanta News First. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ Martin, Maria (March 12, 2024). "Group makes formal move to bring NHL expansion team to metro Atlanta—Here's where they want it". WXIA-TV. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
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