State auditors are taking a hard look at the company that runs Austin’s Moody Center after public records showed the arena reported no alcohol sales for several months in 2025, even as it continued hosting concerts, sports, and other big-ticket events.
According to the Austin Business Journal, Texas comptroller data list zero dollars in reported alcohol sales for seven months in 2025, and the comptroller has launched an audit of the Moody Center’s alcohol-sales operations. The Business Journal reports that auditors are reviewing monthly filings tied to concessions and beverage receipts in an effort to figure out why the public records do not seem to match the arena’s event schedule.
What the records show
Local reporting suggests a different picture when it comes to how much alcohol is actually moving through the building. An Austin American-Statesman tally put the Moody Center among Austin’s top alcohol sellers, counting about $4.89 million in mixed-beverage receipts between January and September 2025. The Moody Center opened in 2022 and has since hosted hundreds of concerts and events, which makes the stretch of zeroed-out months in state filings stand out even more.
Why auditors care
Mixed-beverage filings are public records administered by the Texas Comptroller. The agency collects monthly mixed-beverage receipts, posts them, and has the authority to audit and adjust those filings when the numbers do not line up. Comptroller guidance explains that auditors can compare what a business reports each month with its internal sales records and other documentation, and if they find problems, they can recalculate taxes owed or add penalties.
The review could stretch from weeks into months as auditors compare point-of-sale data, vendor statements, and the monthly forms already on file. Outcomes range from simple corrected paperwork to assessed taxes or penalties if officials determine that alcohol sales were misreported. The Austin Business Journal reports that the comptroller’s office has started its review but has not yet released any findings…