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HARLINGEN — The downtown mural paying tribute to Southwest Airlines’ founder will remain overlooking the newly revamped Lozano Plaza.
Under a deadlocked city commission vote, the push to remove the mural honoring the legendary Herb Kelleher was crushed after a second round of discussions.
While Mayor Norma Sepulveda voted along with Commissioners Daniel Lopez and Rene Perez to install a new mural amid downtown’s changing landscape, Commissioners Michael Mezmar, Frank Morales and Delia Cavazos-Gamez voted against the drive.
The clash over the mural underscored the rift on the commission.
Under former Mayor Chris Boswell’s administration, the city unveiled the mural in 2020, paying tribute to Kelleher, whose Southwest Airlines turned Valley International Airport into the fourth spoke of the fledgling carrier’s Texas hub in 1975.
As the airport’s leading carrier, Southwest helped turn the airport into the city’s biggest economic engine, connecting Harlingen and the Rio Grande Valley with much of the country while spotlighting South Padre Island.
Last month, officials said the city’s Keep Harlingen Beautiful board recommended replacing the Kelleher mural with a collage featuring the city’s new All-America City Award logo.
But Mezmar warned the push to remove the mural could spark Southwest Airlines into moving to the McAllen or Brownsville airports amid the Valley’s growing markets.
“Do not slap an S&P 500 company across the face,” Mezmar repeated during the commission’s Aug. 5 meeting.
During discussion, City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said lobbyist Eddie Lucio III contacted Southwest Airlines’ representatives, who “said they didn’t have any concerns.”
“He said they wouldn’t be leaving Harlingen because of the mural being repainted,” Gonzalez told commissioners.
Meanwhile, Perez said he also contacted Southwest Airlines, whose representative said the mural’s removal wouldn’t ruffle officials there.
“They were telling me they value the relationship that they have with Harlingen and they thought it was kind of funny that they would think that something like a mural would ever endanger their relationship with Harlingen,” Perez said. “Southwest Airlines did a great job. They put Harlingen on the map. We love our relationship with them and we want to nurture it and we wouldn’t want to do anything that would ever endanger that.”
Meanwhile, Perez argued residents want a new mural at Lozano Plaza.
”We’re growing, we’re changing and I think downtown needs to change along with it,” he said. “I think this goes a long way in adding to the vibe that we’re trying to do in downtown Harlingen.”
A city survey conducted through its website and social media channels found 167 residents from Harlingen and the Valley offered input into “what type of categories, what types of colors, what types of theme would be appropriate for this mural at Lozano Plaza,” downtown Manager Alexis Riojas told commissioners.
Based on residents’ input, the Keep Harlingen Beautiful board designed the proposed mural, Lopez said.
At City Hall, a 2019 agreement shows the artist waived his rights to the artwork, clearing any legal hurdles to remove the mural, Public Works Director Ruth Trevino told commissioners.