Alpharetta Aims to Lure Pro Hockey Team with Mall Redevelopment

City partners with mall owner to transform North Point Mall into an arena-centric, mixed-use destination

Feb. 6, 2026 at 7:15pm

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Alpharetta, Georgia is making a push to attract a professional hockey team, with the city's mayor announcing a new partnership between the owner of the struggling North Point Mall and a local partner to redevelop the property into an arena-centric, mixed-use destination. The move comes after former NHL player Anson Carter petitioned the league to bring a franchise to Alpharetta in 2024, and the city approved funding to evaluate the market demand and financial viability of a hockey arena.

Why it matters

The potential arrival of a pro hockey team would be a major boost for Alpharetta, helping to revitalize the North Point Mall site and bring new economic activity to the area. It would also mark the return of professional hockey to the metro Atlanta region after the Thrashers left in 2011.

The details

Under the new partnership, the owner of North Point Mall, New York Life, has teamed up with a local partner to help shape the vision for transforming the property. Mayor Jim Gilvin said the site has a lot of underutilized asphalt that could be redeveloped. Alpharetta is competing with another group in nearby Forsyth County that is also working to attract an NHL team, but the city believes the North Point Mall site would be the "best place in the state" to host a pro hockey team.

  • In 2024, former pro hockey player Anson Carter petitioned the NHL to bring a franchise to Alpharetta.
  • Last year, the city of Alpharetta approved $150,000 to evaluate the market demand and financial viability of a hockey arena.

The players

Jim Gilvin

The mayor of Alpharetta, Georgia.

Anson Carter

A former professional hockey player who petitioned the NHL to bring a franchise to Alpharetta in 2024.

New York Life

The owner of the North Point Mall in Alpharetta.

Vernon Krause

A businessman leading a group working to attract a hockey team to a site in Forsyth County, six miles north of Alpharetta.

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What they’re saying

“No doubt about it. Nobody on our council can go anywhere without getting questions about hockey. A lot of hockey fans here.”

— Jim Gilvin, Mayor of Alpharetta

“I think it would bring a booming economy. There's a lot of space here for it, there's a lot of interest, obviously personal interest I can tell you that.”

— Adam McTighe, Alpharetta resident and competitive hockey player

What’s next

The city of Alpharetta and the new partnership between New York Life and a local partner are expected to provide more details about their plans for transforming the North Point Mall site in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Alpharetta's efforts to attract a professional hockey team and redevelop the North Point Mall site represent a significant opportunity to revitalize the area and bring back pro sports to the metro Atlanta region. The competition with a nearby site in Forsyth County adds an element of uncertainty, but Alpharetta's mayor believes the North Point Mall location would be the ideal place to host a new NHL franchise.