Elon Musk plans to build a city near SpaceX site. But locals aren't happy

Voters in south Texas will decide whether to officially turn the home of Elon Musk's SpaceX launch site into a city called Starbase, despite growing public concern

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is closer than ever to making his long-time dream of a company-run city come true. On Saturday, May 3, people living near SpaceX’s rocket site in South Texas will vote on whether to officially create a new city called 'Starbase', according to the Associated Press.

 

The result of the vote seems nearly certain. Out of 283 registered voters—most of them SpaceX workers—about 200 had already voted by Tuesday, according to Cameron County records. Musk hasn’t voted yet in this election but did vote in the general election last November.

 

If approved, Starbase would become another major part of Musk’s growing presence in Texas. He already builds rockets there, makes Tesla cars, and has talked about building a model community for employees. Supporters say Starbase could be a futuristic step forward, but critics worry it would give a private company too much power over public land. 

 

 

A long-held vision

 

The area being considered is small—just 1.5 square miles—on the Texas coast near the Mexican border. It’s dotted with small homes and trailers. The voting site is located on Memes Street, a playful reference to Musk’s social media company, X.

 

Musk first introduced the idea of Starbase in 2021. Though SpaceX hasn’t explained its reasons in detail, the company stands to benefit. Right now, it needs approval from Cameron County to launch rockets or move equipment near Boca Chica Beach. But two proposed state laws would shift that control to the new city of Starbase.

 

This has caused concern among local residents and environmentalists, who fear losing access to what they call the “poor people’s beach.” 

 

Push for more control

 

SpaceX says the proposed laws would make operations smoother and safer. The company wants to increase its launches from 5 to 25 per year and is working with Nasa and the Department of Defense to launch its massive Starship rocket.

 

“This fully reusable rocket system keeps the U.S. ahead of global competitors like China, and it’s being developed right here in South Texas,” wrote Sheila McCorkle, SpaceX Vice President of Starship Legal and Regulatory, in a letter to lawmakers.

 

“We need to carry on our mission of turning South Texas into the Gateway to Mars and making humankind multiplanetary,” she added, noting SpaceX’s $4 billion investment and thousands of jobs in the area.

 

Concerns from the community

 

While many locals support SpaceX, some are uneasy about how Starbase might affect public oversight and beach access.

 

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr shared his concerns in a letter to state lawmakers.

 

“SpaceX is a strong economic driver in our region, one of which we are extremely proud,” Trevino wrote. “However, we believe that this bill does not serve the public interest and has received an overwhelmingly negative response from our local community.”

 

Another bill linked to Starbase would make it a crime—punishable by up to 180 days in jail—for not leaving the beach during closures. That law would only apply if the new city is approved.

 

In a setback for SpaceX, a Texas House committee this week rejected one of the bills that would have given Starbase control over beach access. 

 

Voices of dissent

 

Protesters continue to speak out. Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, has been organizing demonstrations against both the city vote and related legislation.

 

Her group plans to protest again on Saturday, even though the vote is likely to pass.

 

“We’ve been sounding the alarm about Musk and SpaceX for many years,” Hinojosa said. “Now that the rest of the country is starting to listen, it feels like we’re finally being heard.”

 

She also said SpaceX security forced them to leave when they tried to go door-to-door near the launch site to urge people to vote no.  (With agency inputs)