Atlanta Group Walks Back Report of Final NHL Expansion Bid
Krause Sports and Entertainment says talk of a submitted application was "premature and incomplete," and the NHL agrees it is nowhere near that stage.
The group trying to bring an NHL team to the Atlanta area has knocked down a report that its expansion bid was in the final stages.
On Friday, the fan-run social media account NHL to Atlanta posted on X that the project known as The Gathering at South Forsyth had submitted a final packet to the league for approval. On Saturday, Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Sports and Entertainment, which is leading the project, said in a statement that was wrong.
Krause said information shared during a recent community update, and then sent out by email, was "premature and incomplete, leading to inaccurate statements on social media."
"To clarify, the NHL has made no decisions with respect to our project, and we are not in the expansion application phase," he said.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, speaking to The Athletic, said the process was "not even remotely close to an application phase."
The Gathering at South Forsyth would put a multi-use arena and community space in Forsyth County, north of Atlanta. It is one of two arena efforts in the region. The other would redevelop North Point Mall in Alpharetta into a building capable of hosting an NHL team, and Alpharetta city council approved rezoning of the mall site for an arena in late August. Neither group has been awarded a team.
The only bid the league has confirmed it is evaluating came in June, from The Friedkin Group, with Houston or Austin as the potential home of a 33rd franchise. That project carries a $3.5 billion price tag covering the expansion fee and a new arena, with a decision expected before the end of 2026.
Atlanta has lost two NHL franchises. The Flames played there from 1972 to 1980 before moving to Calgary, and the Thrashers from 1999 to 2011 before relocating to Winnipeg.
