Tim Leiweke, a driving force behind Ball Arena and several other sports and entertainment venues around the globe, has stepped down as CEO of Denver-based Oak View Group following a federal grand jury indictment for conspiracy to rig the bidding process at the Moody Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
“Timothy Leiweke allegedly led a scheme designed to steer the contract for entertainment services at a public university’s arena to his company. Public contracts are subject to laws requiring an open and competitive bid process to ensure a level playing field,” said the FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia in a release Wednesday. “The FBI is determined to ensure that those who disregard fair competition principles do not benefit from a rigged bidding process targeting our communities and public institutions.”
The indictment, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleges that Leiweke, from early 2018 through June of last year, conspired with a competitor to rig the bidding for the development, management and use of the arena, which opened its doors in April 2022.
In September 2017, Leiweke is alleged to have told colleagues that he learned a competitor, Legends Hospitality, was going to bid against Oak View on the University of Texas project and that he wanted to find a way to funnel business to the rival firm to “get them to back down.”
By February 2018, Leiweke and his rival CEO allegedly reached an agreement where Legends would not submit a bid in return for receiving subcontracts, according to the indictment. That allowed Oak View to submit the sole qualified bid, resulting in an ongoing and significant revenue stream, according to the Department of Justice.
Oak View and Legends Hospitality, based in New York, have agreed to pay $15 million and $1.5 million in penalties, respectively, in connection with the conduct alleged in the indictment against Leiweke, according to the DOJ. Legends Hospitality and its CEO were not indicted.
“Oak View Group cooperated fully with the Antitrust Division’s inquiry and is pleased to have resolved this matter with no charges filed against OVG and no admission of fault or wrongdoing. We support all efforts to ensure a fair and competitive environment in our industry and are committed to upholding industry-leading compliance and disclosure practices,” the company said in a statement.
Leiweke is stepping down as CEO of the company he co-founded, but will stay on as vice chairman of the board of directors and remain a shareholder. Chris Granger, president of OVG 360, will serve as interim CEO. Granger, earlier in his career, was president of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and the Sacramento Kings.
“It has been my great honor to help found and lead OVG as it has grown into the special, customer-oriented company it is today. While I’m pleased the company has resolved its Department of Justice Antitrust Division inquiry without any charges filed or admission of wrongdoing, the last thing I want to do is distract from the accomplishments of the team or draw focus away from executing for our partners, so the Board and I decided that now is the right time to implement the succession plan that was already underway and transition out of the CEO role,” Leiweke said in a company statement.
In a statement to CNBC, spokesman for Leiweke said, “Mr. Leiweke has done nothing wrong and will vigorously defend himself and his well-deserved reputation for fairness and integrity.”
“The Antitrust Division’s allegations are wrong on the law and the facts, and the case should never have been brought,” the spokesman continued to CNBC. “The law is clear: vertical, complementary business partnerships, like the one contemplated between OVG and Legends, are legal.”
While president of the Denver Nuggets in the early 1990s, Leiweke showed an aptitude for arena planning. In 1994, he announced plans for a new multi-team venue and handled early negotiations with the city on a public-private venture and site location, which eventually resulted in the Pepsi Center, now Ball Arena, in 1999.
He is also credited with playing a key part in helping bring the Quebec Nordiques, the future Colorado Avalanche, to Denver. Leiweke left the Nuggets in 1995 to work with Anschutz Entertainment Group, becoming president and CEO the following year, a role he held until March 2013.
He oversaw the construction of the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which serves as home to the Lakers, Kings and Sparks, and a related entertainment district called L.A. Live. He was also behind the O2 Arena in London, the Microsoft Theater in L.A. and the Dignity Health Sports Park, a soccer stadium in Carson, Calif.
Oak View Group, which Leiweke co-founded in November 2015, employs more than 50,000 people, managing and providing services to 400 arenas around the globe. It also has $5 billion committed to new arena developments, according to the company’s website.
Oak View’s project portfolio includes the Climate Pledge Arena for the NHL’s Kraken in Seattle; the UBS Arena for the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., and Co-Op Live in Manchester, England, a music and sports venue slated to become the largest in Europe once completed.
Leiweke relocated Oak View to Denver last summer. Although he has an affinity for Denver, where he spent a good part of his career, the move also would have put his company in a stronger position to bid on any new stadium that the Denver Broncos might be considering.
Leiweke is charged with a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine, which can be increased to twice the gain derived or twice the loss suffered by victims, according to the Department of Justice.
Originally Published: July 9, 2025 at 9:03 PM MDT
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