Craig Leipold's sale of the National Hockey League's Predators to a Nashville coalition of local business operators was officially completed on Friday.
The local ownership group paid out $193 million US for the team and will immediately take over the day-to-day operation of the Predators and their home arena, the Sommet Center.
"On behalf of the ownership group, we are thrilled to complete the sale," said David Freeman, chairman of Predators Holdings LLC. "We look forward to contributing to the Predators' success on and off the ice and solidifying the franchise's future in Nashville."
The NHL's Board of Governors officially approved the sale last Thursday. Freeman will serve as the group's lead, as he had in negotiations, and will also act as chairman and governor, while William "Boots" Del Biaggio and Herb Fritch will serve as an alternate governor.
Predators Holdings LLC includes local executives in finance, health care and private business. Members include: Freeman, Del Biaggio, Fritch, Christopher Cigarran, Thomas Cigarran, Joel and Holly Dobberpuhl, DeWitt Thompson V, John Thompson and Warren Woo.
"Our immediate next steps will be to provide necessary direction to the team's staff while assessing opportunities to grow the Predators' fan base and development," added Freeman.
