Former CEO and president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Tim Leiweke has been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to rig the bidding process for an arena at a public university in Austin, Texas.
Leiweke is charged with a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a US$1 million fine. Oak View Group (OVG) and Legends Hospitality have agreed to pay $15 million and $1.5 million in penalties, respectively, related to the conduct outlined in the indictment.
Leiweke was head of MLSE from 2013 to 2015 before moving on to Oak View Group. The company operates dozens of venues across North America, including Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, London, Ont.’s Canada Life Place and Hamilton’s recently renovated TD Coliseum.
According to the DOJ, Leiweke told colleagues a rival company was “bidding against us” and expressed a desire to “get them to back down” — a goal he later achieved through a 2018 agreement under which the competitor didn’t submit a bid and instead received subcontracts, leaving OVG as the lone qualified bidder.
The project became the Moody Center, home to University of Texas basketball, and opened to the public in April 2022. OVG continues to receive significant revenues from the venue.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
