Potential Atlanta NHL Expansion Team Thread

[tucker3434]

I really tire of these random "Atlanta never should get another team!" posts/posters. It has been repeated and shown with facts that the situation in Atlanta is far, far different from when the Flames or Thrashers were here. The state is booming with minor league hockey teams and tons of adult and younger leagues all over the state.

And more importantly having an ownership that actually WANTS a team is what the Thrashers never had outside of the one year or so that Ted Turner owned the team. The Atlanta $pirit Group literally tried to move the team out of Atlanta one year into owning them and were only stopped by the clauses in the initial contract when they bought the arena, Hawks and Thrashers.

Repeat a lie enough times and people just assume that it’s the truth.

Fortunately, the league knows better, as anyone with business sense should. They understand the opportunity here. ATL and Houston are the last two low-hanging-fruit markets left within the NHL’s realistic geographic footprint. If they can pick up and extra couple billion in expansion fees for owners on the way, of course they’re going to take advantage.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Here is the press release: Krause Sports and Entertainment Selects ASM Global to Operate Proposed Forsyth County Arena in Pursuit of the NHL – The Gathering at South Forsyth

Wonder if any additional news is provided here:

The Gathering at South Forsyth’s development team will hold a public participation meeting on March 19, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at Lanier Technical College in Cumming. Members of the community are welcome to attend to hear the latest news about the development’s plans and progress and provide their input.

 

[GKJ]

So this is Krause hires operator, but he owns the building?

 

[GreenHornet]

but if this is true, it seems that maybe Carter's announcement may even simply be to further along the process rather than issue a competing bid. I suppose time really will tell.

Interesting thought, but that'd be a pretty lousy thing to do to string along the Alpharetta mayor and city council folks like that. Unless they're also in on it?

 

[Yukon Joe]

When the time comes, I'll be blissfully hanging out in our own Atlanta Whatevers team subforum, talking about actual games, our struggling PK, Big Boi sightings, and such, and it will GLORIOUS.

So coming from experience - you have no idea how glorious it was on May 31, 2011 when it was announced that the Atlanta Thrashers were moving to Winnipeg. 15 years with no NHL were now over. That whole summer - what would the team name be? What about the jerseys? Who would be on the roster? It was amazing.

When I go by the Winnipeg Jets subforum now - it's all pretty cool. In particular this year - the Jets are having a great year! But sometimes it can be kind of humdrum - whose playing on the 4th line, what depth player should we pick up at the trade deadline.

So sometimes I almost miss not having a team. But then I give my head a shake. Because I'd much, much rather be talking about who should be out on our second unit power play rather than talking about relocation and business topics.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

This bid is probably already a lock with the amount of NHL-approved coverage its getting. Bettman usually likes bidders and potential buyers to lay low from the spotlight.

 

[dj4aces]

Interesting thought, but that'd be a pretty lousy thing to do to string along the Alpharetta mayor and city council folks like that. Unless they're also in on it?

If Krause is truly this far ahead though, what are the other options at play here? Could Carter be instead looking to put an AHL arena in Alpharetta for a prospective minor league team?

I'm really spitballing all this, to be completely honest. I just don't really understand what the point is in coming out, asking for NHL expansion, and providing details on a competing bid and arena proposal if Krause has already put shovels in the dirt, and now has a company hired to manage the facility when it's open.

 

[GreenHornet]

This bid is probably already a lock with the amount of NHL-approved coverage its getting. Bettman usually likes bidders and potential buyers to lay low from the spotlight.

Yeah, but which one? The Krause group appears to be much further along, though I can’t ever remember Bettman or Daly mentioning his name (though he has acknowledged his bid in passing before). Daly, however, did mention AC by name in his statement. It’ll be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

 

[nhlfan79]

So coming from experience - you have no idea how glorious it was on May 31, 2011 when it was announced that the Atlanta Thrashers were moving to Winnipeg. 15 years with no NHL were now over. That whole summer - what would the team name be? What about the jerseys? Who would be on the roster? It was amazing.

Um, no offense, but I know exactly how this works. I and many others have already done this drill once before, back in 1997.

 

[dj4aces]

So sometimes I almost miss not having a team. But then I give my head a shake. Because I'd much, much rather be talking about who should be out on our second unit power play rather than talking about relocation and business topics.

Even with a team back here, I'll probably still float around the business board. I've always found the business side fascinating, and if I hadn't gone down on my own (very) LTIR in 2012, chances are really good that my presence here would've persisted through the times of no Atlanta news.

I'll also still be hanging in the Wings subforum. I'll always love and support my hometown and 1a team, even when the 1b team returns.

 

[Yukon Joe]

If Krause is truly this far ahead though, what are the other options at play here? Could Carter be instead looking to put an AHL arena in Alpharetta for a prospective minor league team?

I'm really spitballing all this, to be completely honest. I just don't really understand what the point is in coming out, asking for NHL expansion, and providing details on a competing bid and arena proposal if Krause has already put shovels in the dirt, and now has a company hired to manage the facility when it's open.

I think it is as simple as this: if your opponent is far ahead on the inside game - go public. See if you can shake something loose. It's the Jim Balsillie plan. It didn't work for Balsillie, but that doesn't mean it can never work.

Sports franchises have dramatically increased in value over the last decade or two. Personally I have my doubts they'll continue to increase, but I'm not a billionaire and lots of people seem to think they will. So if you think you're going to NOT get a franchise there are all kinds of incentives to try and see that you can change the odds.

 

[nhlfan79]

Former Thrashers social media manager, Ben Wright, was just on Jeff Marek's radio show. I'm sure the link will be posted soon. They talked about why the city of Atlanta is different now than before, how ASG only wanted the Hawks and would have forced any potential buyer seeking to keep the Thrashers here to be their tenant under an unconscionable lease, and how there's a real fanbase here that's excited at the news of a possible return.

After a few war stories of what it was like working for the team and interacting with the fans, he also talked about Anson's connections to the city, the success of the Gladiators' Thrashers Appreciation Nights, etc. Finally, he was asked which of the two groups he thinks stands the best chance in all of this, and he said unequivocally that the league would favor the Carter group as the more credible one.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Even with a team back here, I'll probably still float around the business board. I've always found the business side fascinating, and if I hadn't gone down on my own (very) LTIR in 2012, chances are really good that my presence here would've persisted through the times of no Atlanta news.

I'll also still be hanging in the Wings subforum. I'll always love and support my hometown and 1a team, even when the 1b team returns.

Hey man, preaching to the choir. I'm still here 13 years after the Jets came back. I find the business side of hockey almost as interesting as the on-ice product.

 

[dj4aces]

Finally, he was asked which of the two groups he thinks stands the best chance in all of this, and he said unequivocally that the league would favor the Carter group as the more credible one.

I'm looking forward to hearing this myself, when it's posted to the Sportsnet site or the Youtube channel.

I will say, however, that Ben has been pretty well against Forsyth County as a location. Despite it being a few miles north of Alpharetta, it's still a little far and the potential for traffic issues, despite GA-400 roadwork taking place, is still fairly high. There's a lot of infrastructure work that should take place.

So with the proposed redevelopment of North Point and the fact that it's closer to MARTA, it doesn't really surprise me that he likes Carter's bid better. I'm indifferent, the two locations aren't that far apart, and I remember hearing that Krause has mentioned MARTA to the county at least once before. The idea of shuttling folks from a park-and-ride is simply inadequate, whereas Alpharetta might be more easily convinced to allow MARTA to build a rail station at the proposed development there.

While I'm indifferent with regard to who wins (assuming, of course, that both bids are serious bids), I very much prefer the North Point proposal -- even if Krause is already in the process of grading his land. At the end of the day, only one site will have a NHL arena on it.

 

[GreenHornet]

Former Thrashers social media manager, Ben Wright, was just on Jeff Marek's radio show. I'm sure the link will be posted soon. They talked about why the city of Atlanta is different now than before, how ASG only wanted the Hawks and would have forced any potential buyer seeking to keep the Thrashers here to be their tenant under an unconscionable lease, and how there's a real fanbase here that's excited at the news of a possible return.

After a few war stories of what it was like working for the team and interacting with the fans, he also talked about Anson's connections to the city, the success of the Gladiators' Thrashers Appreciation Nights, etc. Finally, he was asked which of the two groups he thinks stands the best chance in all of this, and he said unequivocally that the league would favor the Carter group as the more credible one.

At this point, I'm just hoping that the "competition" between the groups (if, indeed, there is one) doesn't get nasty. I'm certain everyone who wants to see the NHL come back here wants it to be done right. And while there's always that thing about having too many chefs in the kitchen, I think there's a role for both Krause and Carter in making sure things get done right, though exactly what that would look like, I don't know.

 

[BMN]

Even with a team back here, I'll probably still float around the business board. I've always found the business side fascinating, and if I hadn't gone down on my own (very) LTIR in 2012, chances are really good that my presence here would've persisted

I'm a Habs fan and I never even bother to touch that sub and have never felt the yearning to for the entirety of HFBoards' existence. I save the "how do I feel about the goaltending rotation now?," etc. talk for my circle of in-person friends. Whereas this Business forum is the only way to scratch the itch to converse about the actual factors that impact franchise placement.....and not the ones my friends imagine in their minds.

 

[dj4aces]

Whereas this Business forum is the only way to scratch the itch to converse about the actual factors that impact franchise placement.....and not the ones my friends imagine in their minds.

That's the real fascinating bit. Everything from the possibility of indemnification fees for moving into an occupied market, how the league actually decides to expand and where, and even ongoing business related topics with individual franchises (such as the current situations in PHX and WPG).

But I still love my team... and, really, I kinda enjoy participating in GDTs.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

At this point, I'm just hoping that the "competition" between the groups (if, indeed, there is one) doesn't get nasty. I'm certain everyone who wants to see the NHL come back here wants it to be done right. And while there's always that thing about having too many chefs in the kitchen, I think there's a role for both Krause and Carter in making sure things get done right, though exactly what that would look like, I don't know.

This. In the end, we just want a team back with a passionate ownership. Forsyth, NPM, or wherever.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

What is the tax rate like down there for players?

 

[RoyalAir]

Finally, he was asked which of the two groups he thinks stands the best chance in all of this, and he said unequivocally that the league would favor the Carter group as the more credible one.

See, I like Ben as a person (and worked with him once upon a time; he was also a regular on the SC forums), but I disagree with him on this. I'd like to think the NHL learned from having too many people involved in another ownership consortium last go round. Carter's group sounds like a hodge podge of random dudes from across the country. Krause seems like a driven individual who is going about this like a duck; there's been an awful lot of paddling we never saw.

I'm pulling for ASE. Let's go.

 

[dj4aces]

Because I know there was question of who owns the land for the proposed arena at North Point ... it turns out Carter's group already owns it.

 

[RoyalAir]

Because I know there was question of who owns the land for the proposed arena at North Point ... it turns out Carter's group already owns it.

Doesn't NY Life own the NorthPoint Mall footprint? It was known that NYL was listed as part of Carter's group. I don't think this was news, necessarily.

 

[dj4aces]

Doesn't NY Life own the NorthPoint Mall footprint? It was known that NYL was listed as part of Carter's group. I don't think this was news, necessarily.

New York Life does own North Point, yes, but some places have Trademark Property listed as the owner. Trademark is the group NYL chose to manage the property.

 

[RoyalAir]

New York Life does own North Point, yes, but some places have Trademark Property listed as the owner. Trademark is the group NYL chose to manage the property.

I haven't lived in metro ATL in 15 years. Is north point still a functional mall, or is it a dead property like Gwinnett Place?

I worked at both when I was in high school. Sniff.

 

[GreenHornet]

I haven't lived in metro ATL in 15 years. Is north point still a functional mall, or is it a dead property like Gwinnett Place?

I worked at both when I was in high school. Sniff.

I don't think it's totally dead. I think there are a few stores there still operating there, and I know the AMC Theater is still operating (because I saw a couple of movies there in the past three months).

However, every report I've seen is that it is dying fast.