A lot has happened in Dallas these last few weeks. How does the city’s mayor feel about all this loss?
DALLAS — The headlines are buzzing in Dallas lately – from the Luka Doncic trade to Southwest’s layoffs to the Neiman Marcus closure. The city is going through rough times, and the Dallas mayor is sounding off on all of them.
Eric Johnson gave the Dallas Express a very extensive interview about his thoughts on the Luka Doncic trade, and he issued statements on the other two. Both statements issued for the Southwest layoff and Neiman Marcus struck a similar tone.
Here’s what Johnson had to say:
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson on Southwest layoffs
“I do not comment on individual business decisions, but my heart goes out to the employees who are losing jobs and to all those impacted by this period of transition.
“Southwest Airlines has become a dynamic and dominant airline because its leaders have made bold decisions, adapted to changing economic conditions, prioritized customer service, and provided an affordable and competitive option for travelers, including those who fly out of Dallas Love Field. We remain proud that Southwest calls Dallas home.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson on Neiman Marcus closure
“I do not comment on individual business decisions. But I will say that Neiman Marcus had a remarkable run downtown, and the iconic brand will always remain a Dallas original.
“The Dallas economy is extraordinarily strong, diverse, and innovative. While this is in some ways the end of an era, change such as this can open up other exciting possibilities for downtown.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson on Luka Doncic trade
Johnson told the Dallas Express he has faith in the Mavericks front office. He said he’s “sad that he won’t get to see [Doncic] play every other night here in Dallas because [Doncic] was that fun to watch” but said he believes the players brought in can help the Mavericks win another championship.
“I want to see my team win a championship. So yeah, sad to see him go, but confident that the Mavericks are going to continue in the upward direction,” Johnson told the Dallas Express.
Johnson also addressed the rumors surrounding the team potentially moving to Las Vegas, something that new team governor Patrick Dumont passionately rebuked in an exclusive with the Dallas Morning News.
“I don’t think it’s part of some conspiracy to move the team or anything like that,” Johnson told The Dallas Express. “I don’t even quite understand the conspiracy. I don’t understand why you think an entity that already essentially controls Las Vegas needed to buy a basketball team in Dallas to move it back to Las Vegas.”
“If you’re going to go down the gambling rabbit hole, if that’s what you think this is all about — I think, if anything, people are looking at the expansion of gambling east of Las Vegas and coming to places like Texas. I don’t see why moving our team to Las Vegas would be on anybody’s agenda,” Johnson added.