🏀Cuban makes big bet in proposed sale of Mavs; Is he the Shark out of water?

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📣NEWS OF THE DAY:

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is in the process of selling majority interest of the franchise to Miriam Adelson, the widow of Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, according to numerous reports. The unconfirmed price is $3.5 billion. Adelson is selling $2 billion of stock in Las Vegas Sands Corp. Cuban, 65, would maintain operational control for an indefinite time. The NBA Board of Governors (owners) would have to approve the sale. The Sands Corp. has been a big funder of efforts to get casino gambling legalized in Texas.

Fish out of water: Cuban will step away from the popular business reality show Shark Tank to spend more time with family.

Black Friday online shopping in the U.S. was a bright spot for retailers, with consumers spending a record $9.8B, according to Adobe Analytics. Thanksgiving online spending also rose to a record $5.6B, and Cyber Monday reached $12.4 billion, the year's biggest online shopping day. Monday sales were up 9.6% over last year.

Save the date: Marie Osmond will perform a mini concert in Sundance Square Wednesday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., she and Mayor Mattie Parker will handle the lighting of the 77^th Annual Fort Worth Community Christmas Tree.

Embrey Partners plans to build 116 duplexes in the Hunters Crossroads development, west of Haslet, near U.S. Highway 287, according to the Dallas Morning News. The project, Hunters Crossroads Avondale, is estimated to cost $42 million, about $362k per unit, according to a filing with the state.

The City of Fort Worth’s purchasing department announced it will start using Bonfire as its online procurement platform. Vendors who want to do business with the city will need to register in Bonfire Interactive. The city will stop accepting hard copies of bid responses Jan. 1.

The University of Texas at Arlington and Lockheed Martin renewed a partnership agreement that generates hands-on learning experiences. The UTA College Work Experience Program (CWEP) initially ensured that $5.2 million was available for eligible students to gain paid, real-world employment skills at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie. The renewed contract provides long-term funding for eligible students.

American Airlines signed a deal to trap 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide underground. It’s part of the airline’s plans to limit the pollution causing climate change, and it marks the first major deal for the Bill Gates-backed startup Graphyte, which is developing technology to tackle the problem.

Air quality in the DFW area continues to miss safety levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is unlikely to meet EPA goals any time soon, according to research from The University of Texas at Arlington.

The Austin area is leading the shift to electric vehicles in Texas. More than 2.1% of registered vehicles in Travis County are battery-powered cars and trucks. The number doesn't include hybrids. Travis County's EV adoption rate is the highest of the five biggest counties in the state.

In 2022, the median annual wage for physicians and surgeons was $229,300, almost five times the median wage of $46,310. Cardiologists had the highest average wage at $421,330. See the chart below and this link for more info.

Top hat: A faded and cracked felt hat worn by Napoleon sold for $2.1 million at an auction of the French emperor’s belongings. It is one of a handful still in existence and was initially valued at $650,000-$870,000.

Hat in hand: If you live in Texas you probably have a cowboy hat, and maybe more than one. If you’re new in town you may not know about cowboy hat etiquette. (video)

Trending: “Authentic” is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023, after seeing a sharp rise in searches, the AP reported. “Rizz,” “deepfake” and “kibbutz” also saw big spikes.

Daily digit: 256 – The number of nonstop flight options at DFW International Airport, a reflection of the investments American Airlines has made into the airport as the carrier aims to grow it to be the busiest in the world.

Significant stat: As of last year, the U.S. accounted for nearly 15% of the world's crude oil production, with Texas alone contributing more than 40% of that. If Texas were a nation, it would be the fourth-largest producer, eclipsing the entire European continent and the United Arab Emirates.

People on the move:

• UNTHSC: Hires Andy North as Vice President of Marketing & Communications

• City of Fort Worth: Hires Midori Clark as Director of Fort Worth Public Library

• Guardian Equity LLC: Launched and co-founded by Barry Kromann

• Bonds Ellis Schafer Jones LLP: Adds Partner Eric Haitz, Senior Associate Adam Simmons, and Associates Julia Hood and Karlee Mansfield

Snippets:

• A sneak peek at Fort Worth’s new showcase hotel Bowie House.

• The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo announces its auditorium entertainment series lineup.

• Paws-itively cute: The Transportation Security Administration releases its 2024 canine calendar (download here).

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