As the lavender haze surrounding Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour opening in Glendale, Ariz., intensified, staff members in Jerry Weiers’s office came to him with an idea that would lead fans to dub him “Mayor Swiftie.”
“As mayor, you have to be able to take these things tongue in cheek,” Weiers told The Washington Post. “And I certainly am very good at that.”
So instead of getting it off his desk, Weiers signed a proclamation for Glendale to be renamed “Swift City” on Friday and Saturday, when the superstar is set to perform. The city announced the change Monday, sending sparks flying as fans reacted.
But as some praised the move, others have raised questions about its purpose and practicality.
Since the Swift City announcement, which has amassed more than 30,000 likes and 2.4 million views on Twitter, people in Arizona and across the country have questioned what the name change actually means. Would birth certificates from the weekend say Swift City? Could fans get Swift City, Ariz., listed on their plane tickets or driver’s licenses?
The short answer: No.
While Glendale plans to put up some “Welcome to Swift City” signs for the weekend, the two-day switch is symbolic, Weiers told The Post.
“It creates a good spirit,” he said. “It doesn’t harm anybody, and it certainly doesn’t cost our taxpayers any money.”
The city first announced its plan Friday, saying that it was taking on a Swift-inspired rebrand to “welcome her in ‘style’” alongside a video of Weiers walking in city hall to the song “Love Story (Taylor’s Version).” Fans swiftly took to social media to send in their guesses for the city’s new name — Swiftdale, Eraszona and Glendale (Taylor’s Version) were among the top guesses.
After the Swift City announcement Monday, Weiers said he hopes the other cities on the Eras Tour list would be “smart enough” to mark Swift’s appearances in similar ways.
“Why wouldn’t we try to take advantage of this, have fun with it and just make it as enjoyable as possible for any visitors, any of her fans that are here?” he said.
After the new city name dropped, Arizona state Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat who represents Glendale, posted a TikTok with Rep. Lupe Contreras (D) to Swift’s song “Bejeweled,” writing in the caption that she was “thrilled” to welcome the artist to the state.
The TikTok quickly became one of Ortiz’s most-watched videos, with more than 280,000 views. Beyond bringing excitement for the Eras Tour, Ortiz said Glendale’s name change unexpectedly gave her a chance to connect with a younger audience.
“I would hope that through my silly TikTok dance, I might gain some new Swiftie followers who will then start to see my videos educating them on the legislative process,” she said.
For now, though, Ortiz is planning her outfit for the Saturday show she’ll be attending with three of her nieces. She hopes seeing the concert in Swift City only adds to the memories they’ll hold onto from the Eras Tour.
“For the city to be able to have a little fun and also celebrate the tour, it’s a good thing,” Ortiz said.