Deal to sell RoughRiders continues forward

Word is the sale of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to a Canadian businessman continues to move forward, though slowly.

The framework for a deal to sell the club to Gary Gelinas has pretty much been finalized. There are a couple of things yet to be done, though, including Gelinas' desire to meet with the city's Five Seasons Facilities Commission to talk about a long-term lease to remain in the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The current lease runs through next season.

The franchise is owned by Mercantile Capital Partners of Chicago, who has had it on the market for a year after attempts to negotiate a long-term lease with the city failed. Word has it the frosty relationship that developed between MCP and the Five Seasons Facilities Commission had much to do with a former RoughRiders' front-office employee.

Gelinas, by the way, is president and general manager of the New Mexico Scorpions of the minor-pro Central Hockey League. He also owns a junior team in the British Columbia Hockey League.

So is this potential ownership change a good thing for the RoughRiders or not? What's your view?

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