Everybody knows Irving’s had more than its share of problems lately. There was, for example, that snafu over a proposed entertainment center, which may not have been exactly what it seemed. There was the unpleasantness over the Byron Nelson golf tournament. There’s even been talk about the Dallas Cowboys leaving Valley Ranch. So over on CultureMap, the estimable Eric Celeste asks what the hell’s going on in Irving—and why Mayor Beth Van Duyne hasn’t been held more accountable.
To be fair, the losing streak preceded the current mayor. But her dithering around as described by Celeste doesn’t inspire much confidence. At a Las Colinas dinner party a few months ago, a table-full of Irving bigwigs said it would take “visionary leadership” for the city to stop its disappointing skid. Talk continued about “pro-business, proactive” officials, ones who would lead collaborative, “out-of-the-box efforts to create passion and excitement and reinvigorate the city.” They weren’t talking about Van Duyne.
