An ambitious plan for a multibillion-dollar arena and entertainment district 30 miles north of Atlanta is slated for its first public presentation Tuesday during a work session of the Forsyth County Commission.
The Gathering at South Forsyth, as the $2 billion project is known, includes an 18,000-plus seat arena aimed at landing an NHL franchise, an entertainment district with 2,400 apartments, shops, restaurants, offices and some 500 hotel rooms on about 100 acres near Ga. 400, Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road.
Here are three things to watch for:
Public airing
Tuesday’s hearing will be the first public forum for residents review the Gathering plans. A time for public comment, however, isn’t listed on the work session agenda.
Hockey fans have been abuzz about the potential for metro Atlanta’s third crack at an NHL franchise. The arena is geared toward accommodating such a dream, but Gathering backers say the project isn’t contingent upon landing an NHL team.
Credit: The Gathering at South Forsyth
Credit: The Gathering at South Forsyth
Suburban Forsyth is one of the state’s fastest-growing counties, and residents in the area have raised concerns about traffic. Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena both enjoy access from multiple interstates and MARTA rail. Truist Park is at the nexus of I-75 and I-285. The Forsyth site has one interstate-style highway in Ga. 400, which frequently becomes a parking lot during peak commute times.
Getting around
The development team has touted long-range Georgia Department of Transportation projects along Ga. 400 that are on the books to improve access to the area. These include tolled express lanes on Ga. 400, a new interchange at Union Hill Road and improvements to other nearby exits. GDOT is expected to pick a developer for the Ga. 400 express lanes this year, but completion is likely years away. A public filing states the the Gathering project will be built in phases through 2033, but Gathering backers have said they want the area operational in three years.
Forsyth operates limited public transportation through an on-call shuttle service. But the county lacks a transit system with scheduled routes. The Republican stronghold of Forsyth isn’t part of MARTA, and a vote to join MARTA seems unlikely, at least for now. Neighboring and more diverse Gwinnett County has rejected MARTA three times, most recently in 2019.
But Melissa Clink, a local Democratic Party activist and Forsyth resident, said the Gathering project could open the door to expanded transit services.
“It seems like half of the county is very excited and the other half dread the traffic and fear MARTA expanding,” she said. “I’m seeing a lot more support for MARTA expansion than in years past.”
Clink said “expanding MARTA also helps minimize the traffic and environmental impacts as a result of the arena being developed.”
Taxpayer support
Most pro sports teams and arena operators seek public financing to support operations. Taxpayer financing was part of both Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Truist Park.
The Gathering team hasn’t disclosed how it will finance the project nor whether they will ask for taxpayer support. In a written statement last week, Commissioner Laura Semanson told the AJC she backs the Gathering, but she’s not supportive of new taxes to fund the complex.
“At this stage, the developers have not asked for any county funding for the proposed project,” she said.
Tuesday’s meeting
Forsyth commissioners will hold its work session at 2 p.m. Tuesday at 110 East Main Street, Suite 200, in Cumming.
