Atlanta group requests NHL expansion franchise

The Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group, fronted by former NHL player Anson Carter, has formally requested that the NHL commence with an expansion process aimed at bringing a franchise to the greater Atlanta area for a third time.

Atlanta was previously home to the Flames (1972-1980), who relocated to Calgary, and the Thrashers (1999-2011), who moved to Winnipeg.

The announcement, published on Tuesday by Sportsnet, states that the group is seeking an NHL team for a new arena designed by architect Frank Gehry that will be part of a larger development at the North Point Mall site in Alpharetta, located around 30 minutes from where the Thrashers used to play.

“I have no doubt that the best league in the world will thrive in its return to Metro Atlanta,” said Carter, currently an analyst for TNT broadcast, in a statement. “I have been in dialogue with NHL commissioner [Gary] Bettman since 2019 about an expansion team returning to the Fulton County Metro Atlanta market, knowing that franchise decisions are exclusively decided by the NHL Board of Governors.”

Among the partners mentioned in the announcement are Neil Leibman of Top Tier Sports, Peter Simon of Simon Sports, Aaron Zeigler of Zeigler Automotive Group and New York Life Real Estate investors, who is a partner in the mixed-use land development.

In a statement on Tuesday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league appreciated the enthusiasm from Carter’s group.

“The League appreciates Anson’s passion for bringing NHL hockey back to the Atlanta area, and he has certainly kept the subject on our radar screen for several years running,” Daly said. “While, as we have made clear, we have no expansion oriented process in place currently, it’s always good to know there is bona fide interest.”

Calls to Simon, Zeigler and Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin were not returned.

Carter is a part owner of the ECHL Atlanta Gladiators hockey team. Carter previously attempted to purchase the Atlanta Hawks, Thrashers and their arena in 2011 with a group called Atlanta Sports and Entertainment, but they were declined by Atlanta Spirit, which owned the teams.

There are other groups interested in bringing the NHL to Atlanta. Vernon Krause, a businessman who has proposed building an 18,000-seat arena in a mixed use development in Forsyth County, told WSB-TV that he met with Bettman in New York. Krause says he believes that if the NHL approves expansion, a team could play in its arena beginning in the 2027-28 season.

Daly told ESPN last September that he was optimistic the third time could be the charm for Atlanta.

“I think some of the challenges that we’ve seen in the past in Atlanta can be overcome,” he said.

“I think times have changed pretty dramatically and the market demographics have changed pretty dramatically since the first time we went there and then again in 1999,” he said. “I think a lot of bigger businesses are in Atlanta [now].”

Daly said the location of the rink will be a key to the success of any potential Atlanta franchise. The Thrashers played in what’s now known as State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Hawks, which is located in the city of Atlanta.

“I also think that rink location will be important with any decision to locate a franchise in Atlanta,” Daly said. “I think if you use the Braves as an example, they struggled, as I understand it, attendance-wise for years, even though they had a very successful team on the field. Their latest stadium is in a perfect location and sells out regularly.”

Bettman has said that expanding beyond 32 teams isn’t a priority for the NHL. But cities continue to show interest in joining the league.

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and The Smith Entertainment Group announced in January that it has formally requested the NHL to start an expansion process for a potential Utah franchise.

“We have no formal expansion process set up. We’re listening to the expressions of interest and I think it’s fair to say that the Utah expression of interest has been the most aggressive and has carried a lot of energy with it,” Bettman said at the NHL All-Star Game last month.

Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, said he’s had discussions with the NHL about bringing a team there.

“We are talking to the NHL, but it’s got to be good for both of us,” Fertitta said during an interview with Bloomberg News last month.