George Gillett Jr. has died at the age of 87.
The Vail, CO resident previously owned the Montreal Canadiens and co-owned Liverpool. He also held ownership stakes in the Miami Dolphins and Harlem Globetrotters, as well as controlling interest of NASCAR team Evernham Motorsports.
“On behalf of the entire Canadiens organization, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to George’s family,” Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. “George immersed himself in the Montreal community and was appreciated by everyone in the organization. We sincerely appreciate his contributions to the Montreal Canadiens during his time as owner.”
Born in Racine, WI, Gillett purchased the Habs and Molson Centre in 2001 and held controlling interest until 2009 when he sold to Molson.
In 2007, Gillett and Tom Hicks, the former owner of the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars, purchased the Reds. Their partnership was short-lived with a falling out between the pair and significant financial troubles marking their tenure. The team was sold to the company that would become Fenway Sports Group in 2010.
Gillett also owned Vail Associates ski resorts, buying it in the mid-1980s and turning the company into one of the premier winter sports companies in the world.
Gillett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
