In a late-night decision that could mark a turning point for professional hockey in Georgia, the Alpharetta City Council has approved a bold redevelopment plan for the aging North Point Mall.
The vision: transform the once-thriving 1990s shopping center into a vibrant, mixed-use entertainment district anchored by a major arena designed specifically to attract a National Hockey League franchise and restore big-league hockey to metro Atlanta.
Alpharetta Clears Path for North Point Mall Transformation—Aiming to Bring NHL Hockey Back to Metro Atlanta
Atlanta-based developer Jamestown LP, working with property owner New York Life, plans to convert the roughly 100-acre site into a walkable destination featuring apartments, hotels, restaurants, retail, a theater, and—at its heart—a hockey complex. Central to the proposal is a roughly 20,000-seat NHL-ready arena, complemented by a community hockey rink, all aimed at positioning Alpharetta as a compelling home for a new NHL team.
After hours of debate and public comment, the council approved the plan 4-3 just after 1 a.m. Tuesday. Officials and developers describe the project as a potential economic game-changer for Alpharetta, with Jamestown CIO Tim Perry calling it “potentially the greatest economic impact vote maybe in the history of Alpharetta.”
North Point Mall opened in 1993 and once stood as a premier retail destination in north Fulton County. Its glory days have long faded, and city leaders see this redevelopment as the key to a renaissance—one that could finally bring professional hockey back after the departures of the Atlanta Flames (who left for Calgary in 1980) and the Atlanta Thrashers (who relocated to Winnipeg in 2011).
Key conditions attached to the approval include a requirement that an NHL franchise must be awarded to the site before apartments can be occupied. Even so, City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom emphasized that the mall is ripe for revival regardless: “The mall, a great mall, I remember the day it opened. But it’s sort of run its course. And it’s prime for redevelopment opportunity, whether it’s this opportunity or a different opportunity.”
The broader vision draws inspiration from successful mixed-use sports districts and includes additional entertainment venues such as a music hall and performing arts center, along with hotels, office space, parks, plazas, and trails. Proponents argue this combination would create a year-round destination that draws regional visitors while delivering sustained economic benefits.
Competition remains in the picture: another development group is pursuing a pro-hockey team just six miles north in Forsyth County. Yet the Alpharetta approval represents a significant local commitment to making North Point the focal point for returning the NHL to metro Atlanta.
With zoning now advanced, the next steps involve further planning, design, and the ongoing effort to secure an NHL franchise. For hockey fans across the region, this vote keeps alive the hope that the sport’s return to Atlanta is closer than ever—centered on a reimagined North Point that could once again put metro Atlanta on the NHL map.
