SpaceX's Starbase gets the green light from voters: Elon Musk's Texas Dream City becomes a reality

Boca Chica Village, a small community in southern Texas, is now officially recognized as a constellation. In Saturday's historic vote, 212 residents voted in favor of the creation of the new municipality, with only six against six. The area spans about 1.45 square miles and has been the launch site of SpaceX's Starship rocket program since 2011. The results mark Elon Musk's long-standing vision for building a new community around his Rockets.Musk celebrated the vote on his social media platform X, claiming: “Starbus, Texas is now a real city!” The company awarded the area to its own local government and with a mayor and two specialists who will oversee zoning, taxation and development plans.

SpaceX's growing impact on the region

In 2021, when Musk suggested naming the region “starbase”, the idea of ​​forming cities around Operation SpaceX first emerged. The concept gained momentum over time, and local residents (mainly SpaceX employees and their families) largely supported the move. Of the 283 qualified voters in the region, almost all voters are connected to SpaceX, and early voting data suggests that the proposal has a lot of support.
SpaceX's headquarters and launch sites have dramatically reshape Boca Chica's once peaceful retirement community. This transformation has brought thousands of jobs and billions of investments to the region, but critics fear it also cements Musk's control over local life. The newly formed municipality will have important authority, including overseeing the pace and direction of development in the region.

Criticism and concerns about company control

Despite great support for the establishment, critics are concerned about the long-term impact of corporate governance on the region. One of the main issues is the potential to limit public access to Bokage Beach and state parks. SpaceX has asked the agency to close the beach for rocket launches, which some believe could negatively impact the wider community that regularly uses the beach.

“We need to be able to develop Starbase as a community,” Starbase general manager Kathryn Lueders wrote in a 2024 letter to local officials. SpaceX claims the ability to close beaches will simplify rocket launches, which usually require highways and beach access. But many residents and environmental organizations, such as the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, strongly oppose the change. Local resident Josette Hinojosa expressed concern during a recent protest, saying: “Some days have been closed and sometimes you'll be turned off.” Her family has loved the beach for generations and she fears losing access due to company control. Christopher Basaldú, a member of the Carrizo/Combe Crudo nation in Texas, responded to a similar view, adding: “It’s not only important, it’s sacred.”

Starbase's future: a precedent for corporate cities?

As newly established cities prepare for growth, the implications of technology-driven urban construction have begun to focus. Starbase can follow suit for other tech companies to create precedents for private cities with their own governance and rules. While the move provides SpaceX with greater planning and development flexibility, it also raises questions about the role that power companies can play in their local communities.

Local officials, including Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino (Jr.), expressed concern about the concentration of power. Trevino said the county has worked well with SpaceX so far and does not require new authorities in the city to control public areas like the beach.

Another proposed bill is intended to make it a Class B misdemeanor, subject to up to 180 days of imprisonment, as anyone refuses to evacuate the beach during the closure. Critics believe this will further consolidate control of the land.

A small town, transformed by SpaceX's existence

Part of SpaceX's promotion of merger stems is due to the need for more housing to accommodate its growing workforce. The region has about 260 employees living in the region, pushing up nearly 500 people. Another 3,100 workers commuted from nearby Brownsville, Texas, but SpaceX worked hard to provide enough housing. Earlier this year, the county rejected a proposal to build more homes.

Today, the area around SpaceX is similar to the scenes in a sci-fi movie. The town has futuristic manufacturing facilities, nearly identical houses, and even Elon Musk’s large bronze bust. As SpaceX plans to increase the number of releases from five to 25 per year, the city’s governance will play a key role in shaping the future of the region.

With Starbase created, SpaceX and its employees are now in charge of their own city. Whether this move will bring long-term benefits to the region remains to be seen or whether it will be further controversial. As the company continues to develop its Starship program, small towns in the southern tip of Texas may become symbols of the future of technology-driven urbanization.

Despite the high potential for economic growth, issues regarding corporate control and environmental impacts may continue to surface as the zodiac sign develops.