USHL to vote on RoughRiders sale today

The

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders could officially have a new owner by tonight.

The United States Hockey League is expected to vote via conference call today on the sale of the RoughRiders to a six-member ownership group that includes RoughRiders head coach/general manager Mark Carlson. The new majority owner, who is from out of state, is unknown.

The Cedar Rapids City Council is expected to vote tonight at its scheduled meeting on the transfer of an amended lease that runs through 2020 to Newco Riders, L.L.C. That group has agreed to purchase the RoughRiders from Mercantile Capital Partners of Chicago.

In exchange for lower annual rent and a part of concessions money, Newco Riders, L.L.C. has agreed to make over $500,000 of improvements to the

Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, including the installation of a Jumbotron scoreboard and media screens.