With National Hockey League royalty on hand for support, a massive Forsyth County proposal that aims to lure professional hockey back to metro Atlanta has notched another pre-development victory, though significant logistical hurdles remain.

The Forsyth County Commission on Thursday voted to approve a zoning overlay that’s required to bring 100-acre, mixed-use megaproject The Gathering at South Forsyth to fruition. NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Orr was on hand as a “special guest” to show support for the proposal, which would include an NHL-ready, multipurpose arena as an anchor component, per its supporters. 

The Gathering’s developer, Vernon Krause, a car dealership entrepreneur and head of Krause Sports and Entertainment, called the commissioners’ zoning approval a “pivotal decision” and another “major step in realizing our visionary and transformative mixed-use project” in a statement following the vote.

Krause said his team remains committed to bringing an NHL expansion franchise to metro Atlanta as the marquee attraction of the ambitious new district, which is expected to cost in excess of $3 billion, with $1 billion of that funding the cornerstone arena that would also stage concerts and events. NHL insiders dropped hints on social media following last week’s vote that helped feed the flames of a rumored expansion in the northern suburbs, with Orr somehow involved.

How the 100-acre project would be positioned where Ronald Reagan Boulevard meets Union Hill Road along Ga. Highway 400.The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Orr (third from left) joined development spearhead Vernon Krause (second from right) in support of The Gathering project at last week's Forsyth County Commission meeting. Courtesy of The Gathering at South Forsyth

In any case, the blessing from county government marks another win for The Gathering.

In November, Forsyth County residents voted strongly in favor of a referendum that allows county leaders to create a Tax Allocation District to pay for the county’s $225 million portion of the district. That vote two months ago also green-lighted The Gathering’s leadership to start finalizing project details “so we can demonstrate [it] is truly shovel-ready and has full community support,” Krause said at the time.

The proposal for one of Georgia’s fastest-growing and most affluent counties first started coming to light in spring 2023 with promises of potentially luring an NHL franchise back to the Peach State, while building nearly 2,000 new homes and a whopping 1.6 million square feet of buildings devoted to retail, office, and hotel uses.

Forsyth County leadership approved plans last year for providing up to $225 million in future property taxes to help make The Gathering a reality—but only if the new district secures an NHL franchise. (The development team had asked the county for $390 million in incentives.)

The NHL’s reported unwillingness to expand could be a roadblock, however.

The league’s commissioner, Gary Bettman, told the Toronto Star in September no expansion plans beyond the NHL's current 32 teams are on the horizon, despite well-documented interest in metro Atlanta (in South Forsyth and Alpharetta) and in Houston.

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

The Gathering’s supporters say the TAD is projected to repay the county its $225 million contribution in 12 to 15 years. After that, the estimated $40 million in property tax revenue generated by The Gathering would be channeled to county coffers and Forsyth County Schools, according to Krause and company.

For a refresher on what The Gathering at South Forsyth could ultimately entail, according to the latest project renderings, swing up to the gallery above.

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