The Kenner City Council voted Thursday to approve a proposed agreement to move the New Orleans Pelicans’ G-League team from Birmingham, Alabama, to the city’s Pontchartrain Center.
The Squadron, which serves as a developmental squad for the Pelicans, has been playing games at Legacy Arena in Birmingham since 2021 after making the move from Erie, Pennsylvania.
Greg Bensel, the Pelicans’ senior vice president of the communications, confirmed Thursday afternoon that the team and Kenner officials had been in discussions to bring the team to the Pontchartrain Center so the G-League squad would be located closer to its parent franchise. On Thursday evening, the Kenner council unanimously approved a proposed agreement between the two sides.
The council’s vote allows Mayor Michael Glaser to enter into an agreement to bring the Squadron to the Pontchartrain Center, which is located less than a 15-mile drive from the Smoothie King Center.
A finalized contract will appear before the council for another vote prior to execution.
The G-League team will be tentatively renamed the “Laketown Squadron,” according to the agreement.
“This is a major win for Kenner,” Glaser said Thursday in a statement to The Times-Picayune. “A Pelicans G-League team brings real economic impact to our city – new jobs, increased tourism and more support for our local businesses – while also creating meaningful opportunities for Kenner kids through youth programs, clinics and stronger recreation initiatives. It’s an investment in our economy, our families and the future of our community.”
Birmingham has been given notice of the Squadron’s plan to move, and Kenner city spokesperson Valerie Brolin said that the plan is for the team to be playing games in Jefferson Parish to begin the 2026-27 season.
The proposed agreement, which would last for five years, says that the Squadron would provide $5 million in initial financing for facility improvements, including the addition of locker rooms, two basketball courts and a video board at the Pontchartrain Center.
Often the home of trade shows and conventions, the Pontchartrain Center has a capacity of 3,600 for sporting events. The Squadron’s current home in Birmingham can hold up to 17,654 fans for games.
The Squadron, which drew a crowd of close to 5,000 for its inaugural game in Birmingham in 2021, had an official attendance of 1,483 for the team’s last home game on Jan. 28.
Each G-League team plays a 50-game regular season schedule, which would bring a total of 25 games to Kenner.
Several NBA G-League teams have moved to arenas closer to their NBA parent clubs in recent years. One example is the Memphis Grizzlies’ Hustle that plays its games in nearby Southaven, Mississippi.
Trey Murphy and Jose Alvarado, who was traded to the New York Knicks on Thursday, are among the Pelicans standouts who have spent time in Birmingham.
Lara Nicholson and Rod Walker contributed to this report.