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Poll: How confident are you NHL hockey will return to metro Atlanta? Josh Green Wed, 06/18/2025 - 14:33
It’s been a big week for professional hockey. The Florida Panthers just repeated as champs. And more importantly, from a regional perspective, Forsyth County has made its blueprints and desires for the NHL’s return to metro Atlanta officially official.
Does it mean the NHL in north metro ATL is a sure thing? Not by a long shot.
But according to Vernon Krause, the car dealership entrepreneur turned developer who’s behind megaproject proposal The Gathering at South Forsyth: “We’re closer than we’ve ever been to bringing NHL hockey back to our region."
Krause was reacting last week to the Forsyth County Commission’s vote to approve definitive documents outlining plans and agreements for The Gathering. But the projected $3-billion mixed-use development anchored by an NHL-suitable arena won’t move forward—at least not without substantial, $350-million county tax incentives—without a pro hockey franchise.
The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects
Krause first announced plans to lure the NHL to the prosperous, north OTP suburb in early 2023. The latest county vote, as he sees it, was crucial for bringing The Gathering vision to life. Next steps including a meeting with NHL brass and collaborations with local and state shareholders in Georgia.
“Our team is more energized than ever as we prepare to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss possible expansion,” Krause said in a statement. “We own the land in a robust and growing market with a development that will include an NHL-caliber arena ready to be built.”
Alfred John, Forsyth County Commission chairman, said the board’s decision marks “a monumental period for Forsyth County and passionate hockey fans in the area.”
Bettman, the NHL commissioner, said during a news conference in May that Atlanta’s past two failures to keep NHL franchises here (the Flames and Thrashers) won’t count against the region, should an expansion move forward. He acknowledged the league has talked to “a couple of groups” striving to bring the NHL back to the metro, noting that Atlanta is a different market than when both previous teams fled north, in 1980 and 2011, respectively.
Where the Gathering at South Forsyth arena and other buildings would be located next to Ga. Highway 400. The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson
However, the NHL boss said there's currently no timetable for ownership groups to submit applications, and the league hasn’t entered a formal expansion phase. The NHL reportedly won’t even vote on an expansion beyond its current 32 teams until ongoing negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement conclude.
In another twist last month, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau voted to fund a $150,000 study that will examine the viability of turning the moribund North Point Mall and surrounding parking lots into a pro-grade arena—one that could thrive when hockey isn’t in season. (That analysis is expected to take about five months.) Last year, a group called Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group comprised of city officials and influential sports figures announced their intention to lure pro hockey to the mall site.
The Gathering calls for swapping 100 acres of empty land near the Fulton County line with a Battery-style mix of uses, from hotel and housing to an array of retail. About $1 billion of the estimated $3 billion price tag would go toward the cornerstone arena, which would also stage concerts and events.
But all of the above falls apart if the NHL should snub the ATL. Which begs the question, dear readers:
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• Forsyth County news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)
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Union Hill Road at Ronald Reagan Boulevard The Gathering at South Forsyth NHL Hockey Professional Hockey Cumming South Forsyth Forsyth County Stafford Sports Vernon Krause Carl Hirsch The Battery Atlanta Nelson Architects Kimley-Horn Kimley-Horn & Associates SCI Architects Stone Planning Dovin Ficken Greenberg Traurig Arizona State University Sun Devil Athletics JLL Novus Innovation Corridor Atlanta Regional Commission Alexander Babbage Atlanta Surveys Surveys Cumming City Center NOFO Brewing Referendum Forsyth County Referendum Bobby Orr
Subtitle Forsyth County developer: “We’re closer than we’ve ever been to bringing NHL hockey back to our region”
Neighborhood Forsyth County
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From the Saporta Report:
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. and Invest Atlanta approved a $242 million budget for Fiscal Year 2026 on June 18, the largest in the organization’s history. It’s a 20 percent increase from last year’s record-breaking $172 million budget. But the hefty fund is set to pay for some major work on the 22-mile trail project and its […]
The post Beltline approves largest-ever $242 million budget appeared first on SaportaReport.
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Longest Beltline section to date (nearly 7 miles) has officially arrived! Josh Green Wed, 06/18/2025 - 10:34
Nearly the entire left side of the Atlanta Beltline’s fabled 22-mile oval is now poured, paved, and ready to roll.
In news that could make longtime Beltline proponents well up with happy tears, project officials on Tuesday announced the 1.3-mile missing piece—Westside Trail Segment 4—is officially open for runners, cyclists, walkers, and anyone else not traveling by motorized vehicle.
That means 6.8 miles of contiguous, uninterrupted, mainline Beltline pathway has now been pieced together—the longest stretch to date—connecting neighborhoods around the loop from Huff Road in Blandtown down to Pittsburgh Yards, directly south of downtown.
The Westside Trail’s newest section is also now linked with the 1.7-mile connector trail that shoots out of downtown, providing a route to the city's commercial core.
Latest construction progress map for the Beltline's 22-mile loop, with the 1.3-mile Westside Trail's Segment 4 (now complete) at left.Atlanta Beltline Inc.
For months, Beltline heads have been predicting Segment 4 would debut sometime in the second quarter of this year. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Andre Dickens, Beltline president and CEO Clyde Higgs, and other community and elected local leaders is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Beltline leadership is calling the Segment 4 opening “a major milestone” for the overall project.
The 1.3-mile connecting piece “transforms a fragmented pathway into a seamless corridor that runs along Washington Park,” notes the announcement, “weaving through neighborhoods where streets honor civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Joseph E. Boone, and Joseph Lowery.”
Looking south at a Westside Trail Segment 4 access ramp and mainline section of the Beltline, where it now intersects with Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Photo by ABI staff
Part of Segment 4 was opened last fall, but a gap of nearly a mile remained, restricting off-street travel across a multitude of Westside and Southwest Atlanta neighborhoods.
Beltline officials have called the section in question complex, with its new bridges and other elevated structures. It includes a fiber duct bank, vertical connections to neighborhood streets, security cameras, and lighting, alongside storm drainage and management systems with green infrastructure.
Segment 4 broke ground in March 2023. At that time, project leaders predicted it would open this summer.
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• Beltline news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)
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Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Bankhead English Avenue Washington Park Grove Park Westside Trail Westside Trail Segment 4 Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation Astra Group BeltLine Construction Atlanta Beltline News BeltLine News
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Latest construction progress map for the Beltline's 22-mile loop, with the 1.3-mile Westside Trail's Segment 4 (now complete) at left.Atlanta Beltline Inc.
Looking south at a Westside Trail Segment 4 access ramp and mainline section of the Beltline, where it now intersects with Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Photo by ABI staff
Subtitle Final missing link for Westside Trail now open to public, connecting downtown with southside
Neighborhood Bankhead
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Atlanta Beltline Announces Major Affordable Housing Wins in 2024 and $10.8M Wealth Increase for Low-Income Homeowners
(atlantadailyworld.com)
From the Atlanta Daily World:
Atlanta Beltline initiatives were instrumental in addressing Atlanta’s affordable housing needs in 2024. The Beltline expects to surpass its housing goals in 2025 and is on course to exceed 2030 housing targets. In 2024, the Beltline delivered 569 affordable housing units, nearly 90% above its annual goal of 300 units. Drone Shot of 350 Chappell Rd. Stanton Park … Continued
The post Atlanta Beltline Announces Major Affordable Housing Wins in 2024 and $10.8M Wealth Increase for Low-Income Homeowners appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
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R Kelly Claims Prison Officials Trying to Kill Him, Appeals to Trump for Pardon
(atlantadailyworld.com)
From the Atlanta Daily World:
R. Kelly continues to introduce a bevy of reasons for an early release from prison, inlcuding fear for his life, severe depression maltreatement and health issues. Kelly has also appealed to Donald Trump for a pardon in light of his penchant for pardoning convicted celebrities. Most recently Kelly is said to have been overdosed by … Continued
The post R Kelly Claims Prison Officials Trying to Kill Him, Appeals to Trump for Pardon appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
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From the Atlanta Daily World:
Photo: Getty Images North America Former President Barack Obama took an apparent swipe at President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, condemning the demonization of migrants. In a social media post on Sunday (June 15), Obama addressed immigration amid protests against Trump’s crackdown and sweeping ICE raids. The former president’s post also came on the 13th anniversary … Continued
The post Obama Speaks Out Against Trump’s Immigration Policies appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
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Adriana Smith Taken Off Life Support after succesful Delivery of Babay Boy
(atlantadailyworld.com)
From the Atlanta Daily World:
Only days after her 31st birthday and the delivery of her baby via C-section, Adriana Smith was been taken off life support on Wednesday morning. Smith is the Georgia mom who was declared brain dead in February while pregnant. Adriana‘s family was forced to keep her on life support in the hospital for several months under Georgia’s … Continued
The post Adriana Smith Taken Off Life Support after succesful Delivery of Babay Boy appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
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