Tim Leiweke, a well-known sports and entertainment venue developer, has received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump after being indicted in Texas earlier this year. Leiweke, who previously served as CEO of Oak View Group and led AEG Worldwide for billionaire Philip Anschutz, was accused of conspiring to rig the bidding process for the $375 million Moody Center development at the University of Texas at Austin.
According to reports, Leiweke allegedly promised subcontracting work on the project to a rival company in exchange for dropping its competing bid. The New York Times cited an email from Leiweke stating, “we were very clever to put together an agreement that scared everyone else away.” He was charged by the Department of Justice with violating the Sherman Act, which prohibits conspiracies to restrain trade. A federal grand jury indicted him in July 2025.
The announcement of his pardon came shortly after Oak View Group named Chris Granger as its new CEO. Leiweke had stepped down from his leadership role in June. The company was fined $15 million for its involvement in the scheme but continues to manage the Moody Center arena.
In other real estate news, Mehrdad Moayedi, founder of Centurion American and a prominent developer in North Texas, has become known for his significant impact on single-family lot development in Dallas-Fort Worth. Moayedi moved from Tehran to Fort Worth at age 15 and has developed 75,000 acres over his career.
Architect Robert A.M. Stern’s legacy includes notable projects such as Howard Hughes Holdings’ Ritz-Carlton Residences in The Woodlands. Stern’s partner Johnny Cruz described it as “one of his favorites.”
Texas is also seeing a surge in troubled commercial real estate debt. In December, loans scheduled for foreclosure auctions exceeded $900 million, with most tied to multifamily properties. Some loans flagged earlier this year are returning to auction.
Meanwhile, Jon Venetos of Lurin Capital faces additional lawsuits from Keybank alleging default on $24 million in loans and improper fund transfers.
