FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Gathering at South Forsyth and the possibility of bringing back the National Hockey League to Georgia is one step closer to fruition.
This is after the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on Tuesday to approve a binding Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the developer of The Gathering at South Forsyth, allowing the proposed $2 billion-plus entertainment hub and arena project to move forward.
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Krause Sports and Entertainment, the developer, discussed Phase One of the proposed 100-acre mixed-use project and showed renderings of the proposed 18,500-seat arena at a public meeting last week.
Some of the key takeaways were that the arena wouldn’t only be used for hockey but also for a variety of events, including other sporting events and concerts, as well as 600 multi-family units, which would include some rentals and for sale sites.
The development would also include a hotel tower with condos on top, 250,000 square feet of office space and 350,000 square feet of retail space. There would also be a greenspace with several walking trails that will allow residents to jump on a new connection to the Big Creek Greenway that runs all the way down to Roswell.
The concept of the jobs the project could bring to the area was also brought up. Developers said there would be 20,000 construction jobs that would be filled, and after that, they're looking at around 7,000 operational job opportunities.
That said, the county's involvement in the project is contingent upon NHL interest. So, if the NHL approves a team to return to Georgia, Forsyth County would offer $350 million toward the arena and an additional $40 million toward a single-arena parking deck, according to a previous vote. There is no guarantee the NHL will decide to expand.
11Alive also previously reported that a proposal estimated there would be approximately 178 events at "The Gathering," including 41 home games — an effort by developers to convince county commissioners the world-class entertainment district would include more than just hockey games.
It's currently unclear if the developer would want to move forward in constructing the multi-use facility if the NHL does not come to the area.
In general, there are still many hurdles to clear between the county and the developer, regardless of the NHL's decision. However, the decision to enter a binding agreement allows for continued hope for the project and the possibility of involving the NHL in the area.