President Donald Trump has pardoned Tim Leiweke, the former CEO of Oak View Group (OVG), following his indictment related to a stadium development deal in Texas. The pardon was granted on December 2, as noted by the U.S. Department of Justice and reported by the Austin Business Journal.
Leiweke faced a felony charge for restraining trade during OVG’s bid to develop the Moody Center arena at the University of Texas in Austin. Prosecutors accused him of conspiring with Legends Hospitality in 2018 to manipulate the bidding process by persuading a competitor to withdraw in exchange for future contracts once the venue opened. If convicted, Leiweke could have received up to ten years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Leiweke stepped down from his role as CEO after his indictment in July. Oak View Group reached non-prosecution agreements and paid a $15 million fine, while Legends paid $1.5 million. Throughout the case, Leiweke maintained that collaborating on bids was standard practice for new companies seeking major projects.
In a statement provided to Sports Business Journal, Leiweke said: “It has been a long and difficult journey for my family.” He expressed gratitude toward President Trump for issuing the pardon.
Shortly before news of the pardon became public, Oak View Group announced Chris Granger as its permanent CEO. Granger had been serving as interim CEO since Leiweke’s departure and will now lead OVG as it continues managing venues across North America and abroad.
Oak View Group commented on Leiweke’s situation: “We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him,” while highlighting its ongoing focus under Granger’s leadership. The company operates several venues nationwide, including the Moody Center in Austin, which has become an important part of Austin’s live-events sector since opening in 2022.
