NHL expansion bids from Forsyth, Alpharetta still have a long ways to go

From the outside, Forsyth County’s bid for an NHL team looks like a convincing proposal.

The project has a committed leader in Vernon Krause, wealthy owner of a chain of car dealerships. It has the county’s approval to build an 18,500-seat arena worthy of an NHL team, part of a $3 billion mixed-use project comparable to the Braves’ Battery Atlanta. And it even has the confidence of the NHL to make a successful return to the Atlanta market after two previous failed attempts here.

“We are shovel-ready today for the development and arena with a voter-approved tax allocation district, recent investments in surrounding infrastructure, the granting of all necessary zoning entitlements and fully secured funding for the future,” county Board of Commissioners chair Alfred John said in a statement this week to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We are ready for the ‘puck to drop’ in Forsyth County and welcome the NHL to one of America’s most sought-after communities.”

Despite that eagerness and readiness, the process does not appear nearing completion. Last week, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly described competing efforts by Forsyth and the Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group (which is trying to land a team that would play in the North Point Mall area) as not ready to be considered by the league’s board of governors for an expansion franchise.

“I think both groups are aspirational in what they want to achieve and how they intend to get there, but we haven’t gotten more than that,” Daly told ESPN. “We need a plan that’s a little more actionable than where we currently are.”

Daly also said that it doesn’t mean “shovels in the ground,” but it does mean “having a fully baked plan to propose.”

The assessment probably is not what Krause and Forsyth, which appear to be significantly further ahead of the Alpharetta group, were expecting to hear. In June, county officials and economic development leaders were elated after approving agreements with a development group (headed by Krause) for the framework of the mixed-use project — called The Gathering at South Forsyth — that would include an arena if the NHL awards a franchise.

Said Krause then, “I believe we’re going to have (a team).”

And, as Commissioner John said in his statement, the county believes the project is “shovel-ready.”

But if the NHL says that Forsyth or Alpharetta haven’t proposed a fully baked plan, then that means, at the least, that there’s at least one significant step yet to be completed.

Both sides presumably are working on such presentations, which might include detailed plans, sources of funding and ownership structure. But until they finish, there’s nothing that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman can bring back to the league’s board of governors.

In a statement to the AJC, Krause acknowledged that he’s trying to do the NHL’s bidding.

“Since reaching a definitive agreement with Forsyth County in June to fund, build and operate the arena for a potential NHL expansion franchise, we are continuing our efforts to be responsive to the NHL’s requests,” read the statement from Krause. “Members of our team have been in contact with League officials, and we are making excellent progress on delivering a fully actionable plan. We understand working with the NHL is a process, and we are advancing through that process. We will provide updates when possible.”

The NHL clearly is in no rush.

Consider the league’s likely perspective on expansion. It surely would like to have a team in the Atlanta market, and the Houston market, for that matter. They represent a lot of television sets and fans. The NHL probably will return to Atlanta at some point in the future. But the league probably feels no pressing need to get back there quickly.

The league’s revenues are increasing. The most recent expansions have been successful. There are no existing franchises that need to move. Consequentially, Bettman can afford to take his time and make sure the group that he chooses has answered every last question to his complete satisfaction.

That onus perhaps goes doubly so given that it’s Atlanta. The NHL tried and failed twice here already, more recently with the Thrashers (1999-2011). And while Bettman has expressed his confidence that the NHL can succeed here, he does not want to oversee a third unsuccessful attempt.