Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with the general sentiment on this board that locations like Downtown Atlanta and Perimeter Center would be the most ideal for providing access to the entire Atlanta metropolitan area from a logistical standpoint.
I think Atlanta could do a lot to make Downtown more of the destination that it could be, but I don't think adding a pro sports franchise that only has a potential fan base, at present, is not going to move the needle. A lot of other development would be needed to make it more desirable, and if those things were to happen, then a NHL franchise downtown could possibly thrive. But if those things don't happen, adding a franchise there would not have much of an impact in drawing people downtown.
I think Atlanta could do a lot to make Downtown more of the destination that it could be, but I don't think adding a pro sports franchise that only has a potential fan base, at present, is not going to move the needle. A lot of other development would be needed to make it more desirable, and if those things were to happen, then a NHL franchise downtown could possibly thrive. But if those things don't happen, adding a franchise there would not have much of an impact in drawing people downtown.
With the proposed Centennial Yards project along with all of the tremendous other existing assets that probably more than 95% of American cities would love to have in their downtowns (including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, one of the largest convention centers in North America at the massive Georgia World Congress Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia State University, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Children's Museum of Atlanta, etc), Downtown Atlanta very much appears to be headed in a positive direction over the long term.
But the reality appears to be that neither the present or future state of Downtown Atlanta seems to matter when it comes to determining whether or not a possible future NHL franchise would thrive in Downtown Atlanta.
That’s because the investors pushing to bring an NHL franchise back to the Atlanta market appear to be mostly Northside OTP suburban based investors who seem to have no apparent interest in locating a third Atlanta area NHL franchise in Downtown Atlanta… And they particularly appear to have absolutely no interest in putting a third Atlanta area NHL franchise in the same downtown arena with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks who themselves appear to have no apparent interest in again sharing an arena with an NHL team.
The investors who are pushing to bring an NHL franchise back to the Atlanta market very much appear to want to put said prospective future Atlanta area NHL franchise in a hockey specific arena that will be surrounded by a large mixed-use entertainment district in a decidedly suburban location Northside OTP that will generate robust amounts of revenue for said NHL franchise… Much like how The Battery mixed-use entertainment district has very successfully generated very robust amounts of revenue for the Atlanta Braves organization and appears to be inspiring numerous other major league professional sports franchises to duplicate that approach when building new stadiums and arenas.
They’re building a new sports arena here in Forsyth, and word already on the street that this facility will look to attract an NHL team. The site is located in the vicinity of exit 12 off GA 400, Alpharetta address, Forsyth County. That’s a roughly 16 to 20 minute ride up GA 400 from the perimeter on the new express lanes being constructed on GA 400. Forsyth county is the states most affluent county 16th wealthiest in the nation. Most of that wealth is concentrated in the southern portion of the county that borders north Fulton (Alpharetta / Milton / Roswell). Look at the demographics of NHL fans and you will see why this area is ideal for a franchise
They’re building a new sports arena here in Forsyth, and word already on the street that this facility will look to attract an NHL team. The site is located in the vicinity of exit 12 off GA 400, Alpharetta address, Forsyth County. That’s a roughly 16 to 20 minute ride up GA 400 from the perimeter on the new express lanes being constructed on GA 400. Forsyth county is the states most affluent county 16th wealthiest in the nation. Most of that wealth is concentrated in the southern portion of the county that borders north Fulton (Alpharetta / Milton / Roswell). Look at the demographics of NHL fans and you will see why this area is ideal for a franchise
Is that arena being built at The Gathering (at McGinnis Ferry Rd. and Union Hill Rd.)? If so, it appears to be literally yards from the Fulton County line (though well outside Atlanta city limits). I imagine Fulton County will spite the arena's builders and not pay for any infrastructure. Let Forsyth Co. choke on the traffic, Fulton Co. is no doubt thinking.
Is that arena being built at The Gathering (at McGinnis Ferry Rd. and Union Hill Rd.)? If so, it appears to be literally yards from the Fulton County line (though well outside Atlanta city limits). I imagine Fulton County will spite the arena's builders and not pay for any infrastructure. Let Forsyth Co. choke on the traffic, Fulton Co. is no doubt thinking.
You make a good point about why would Fulton invest in the infrastructure when it won't see any of the tax revenue to recoup the costs? I really hate the balkanization and competition of the burbs with our main city. If they would allow MARTA rail up there, then I'd more likely support it.
Atlanta metro has grown a lot since the last team both population and wealth wise.
Looks like they are settling on Alpharetta/South Forsyth and it makes sense i guess as Alpharetta is in the middle of northern arc wealthy suburbs where most of NHL fans may be(they must have done some research). Hockey just like Baseball(hence Braves move to cobb) is much more of a suburban fanbase sport as opposed to more urban Football , Soccer, Baseketball.
Biggest issue will be transportation.
So baseball isn't as urban as basketball and football? At a time when Jackie Robinson crossed the color line in not just baseball but for all sports, baseball was popular with blacks from the 1940's all the way until the 1990's. It was only when you started to see a lot of Dominicans, and later on other Latin Americans from Panama and Venezuela, that participation from blacks started to decline considerably.
Before basketball became popular in the 1980's and before football became popular in the 1960's, baseball was truly a more urbane sport, especially considering that Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago (still to this day), and even St. Louis had two baseball teams, one for each league, and NYC had up to three (Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers).
I still believe that although the new Braves ballpark is still close enough to the Atlanta city limits, it was still a mistake to move to Braves from Turner Field to Truist Park in Cumberland, especially when the area around Turner Field could've been built up as a "ballpark village" i. e. in St Louis or something to the effect of Wrigleyville in Chicago, Fenway/Kenmore Sq in Boston, Oracle Park in SF, and even Camden Yards in Baltimore. What a wasted opportunity, if you ask me!
Finally, hockey had it's chance in Atlanta, and now that the NHL is fully saturated with 32 NHL teams, 16 in each conference, and 8 teams split up in 4 divisions, it's slim to none that either an expansion team or a relocating team will set up shop in Atlanta. The NHL tried to expand to the South with the Flames and that team didn't have any playoff success, and the same can be said for the Thrashers, which had a little more success, but nothing came out of it.
I've stated that the Florida Panthers had it's biggest success financially when it was playing at the old Miami Arena and was moved by the late owner Wayne Huizenga because he wanted to locate the team to the "center of the fan base". Ever since then, despite it's recent playoff success and going so far as the Stanley Cup championship last season, the BB&T Center in Sunrise has a tough time selling out because it's just too far from Miami and Ft Lauderdale.
In order for ice hockey to work, you need to bend with he exception of the NY Islanders and the Anaheim Ducks, you need to locate within a major city, no way around it, either locate in a major city or have problems like the Panthers continue to endure, that's NHL economics for you!
In order for ice hockey to work, you need to bend with he exception of the NY Islanders and the Anaheim Ducks, you need to locate within a major city, no way around it, either locate in a major city or have problems like the Panthers continue to endure, that's NHL economics for you!
The Islanders and the Ducks both play just outside the core cities of the 2 largest metro areas in our country.
Atlanta is the current 8th largest, soon to be 6th largest metro area in the US.
If there are 32 NHL teams, surely it makes sense that Atlanta should have one. Especially if Florida has 2 teams, Nashville has a team, and even Raleigh has a team. Ice hockey does fine in the South. Which it makes sense that indoor, air conditioned type sports would. Yeah the ponds don't freeze in the winter and whatever, but there's a such thing as ice skating rinks.
Columbus has an NHL team, and that's the 32nd largest metro. Population just a bit over 2 million. Atlanta is a much larger media market.
The demand is there for an Atlanta team. The problems and team desertions before, were largely ownership and management related. It's fair to mention them, but IMO they should not be used as examples that a third team could not do just fine there.
Seattle was never a hockey city, but we just got the Kraken here, and they've been a huge hit. And in only their second season did well in the playoffs.
The naysayers were definitely proven wrong about Atlanta United.
It would be great to put it adjacent to the Battery if land could be secured
I agree that having a future Atlanta NHL franchise play its home games in an existing large mixed-use development and entertainment complex like the Battery would be ideal.
But unfortunately the prospect of a future Atlanta NHL franchise playing its games at the Battery would be highly unlikely to happen because: 1) The investors pushing to bring an NHL franchise back to the Atlanta market very much appear to want said future Atlanta NHL franchise to play at its own high revenue-generating Battery-type large mixed-use entertainment complex, and 2) The Atlanta Braves most assuredly don’t want to share the robust amounts of revenue that their existing Battery mixed-use entertainment complex is generating for them with a future Atlanta NHL franchise.
The Atlanta Braves want (and given the economics of Major League Baseball very likely pretty much need) to keep all of the revenue that the Battery mixed-use entertainment complex is generating for them… And a future Atlanta NHL franchise wants its own large Battery-type mixed-use entertainment complex that will generate massive amounts of revenue that they will be able to keep all for themselves.
So baseball isn't as urban as basketball and football? At a time when Jackie Robinson crossed the color line in not just baseball but for all sports, baseball was popular with blacks from the 1940's all the way until the 1990's. It was only when you started to see a lot of Dominicans, and later on other Latin Americans from Panama and Venezuela, that participation from blacks started to decline considerably.
Before basketball became popular in the 1980's and before football became popular in the 1960's, baseball was truly a more urbane sport, especially considering that Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago (still to this day), and even St. Louis had two baseball teams, one for each league, and NYC had up to three (Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers).
I still believe that although the new Braves ballpark is still close enough to the Atlanta city limits, it was still a mistake to move to Braves from Turner Field to Truist Park in Cumberland, especially when the area around Turner Field could've been built up as a "ballpark village" i. e. in St Louis or something to the effect of Wrigleyville in Chicago, Fenway/Kenmore Sq in Boston, Oracle Park in SF, and even Camden Yards in Baltimore. What a wasted opportunity, if you ask me!
Finally, hockey had it's chance in Atlanta, and now that the NHL is fully saturated with 32 NHL teams, 16 in each conference, and 8 teams split up in 4 divisions, it's slim to none that either an expansion team or a relocating team will set up shop in Atlanta. The NHL tried to expand to the South with the Flames and that team didn't have any playoff success, and the same can be said for the Thrashers, which had a little more success, but nothing came out of it.
I've stated that the Florida Panthers had it's biggest success financially when it was playing at the old Miami Arena and was moved by the late owner Wayne Huizenga because he wanted to locate the team to the "center of the fan base". Ever since then, despite it's recent playoff success and going so far as the Stanley Cup championship last season, the BB&T Center in Sunrise has a tough time selling out because it's just too far from Miami and Ft Lauderdale.
In order for ice hockey to work, you need to bend with he exception of the NY Islanders and the Anaheim Ducks, you need to locate within a major city, no way around it, either locate in a major city or have problems like the Panthers continue to endure, that's NHL economics for you!
Then please explain the Lightnings wild success.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
