SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The American Hockey League's board of governors on Tuesday unanimously approved the transfer of the former Utah Grizzlies AAA franchise owned by current Grizzlies' owner David Elmore to Dan Gilbert, the majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.
The sale has been in the works for some time after Elmore asked last spring to suspend his AHL franchise and dropped his team to the AA ECHL. The AHL formally approved the move at its spring meeting.
Gilbert wanted the franchise to replace the old Cleveland Barons franchise that moved to Worcester, Mass., and will become the Worcester Sharks, a San Jose Sharks affiliate. The former Grizzlies franchise will begin play in Quicken Loans Arena in 2007-08.
The move does not affect Utah Grizzlies operations in the ECHL.