On Saturday, a small but significant vote in South Texas quietly made history. Residents in the vicinity of SpaceX’s rocket testing and launch facility near Boca Chica overwhelmingly approved a measure to incorporate their community into a brand-new city: Starbase. The vote wasn’t even close—212 in favor, 6 opposed—cementing a long-rumored vision of Elon Musk into official status.
A New City Is Born
The vote marks the culmination of years of speculation and gradual transformation of the area surrounding SpaceX’s operations. With just 283 eligible voters, the electorate was tiny, and, notably, two-thirds of those voters are either employed by SpaceX or have publicly supported the company’s presence. The three individuals who ran unopposed for city leadership also have ties to the company, underscoring the close relationship between the new city government and its dominant corporate neighbor.
Though the results still await certification by Cameron County, the election’s outcome is not expected to change.
The Character of Starbase
Despite the momentous occasion, the night in Starbase passed quietly. There were no large public celebrations or fireworks—just a few SpaceX employees gathered at a local bar, the Astropub, as rain settled over the remote coastal area. Musk himself marked the milestone with a single-word post on his social media platform, X: “S T A R B A S E.”
Unlike the high-profile tech campuses of Silicon Valley, Starbase is uniquely positioned. It is located roughly 20 miles outside Brownsville, perched on a narrow strip of land between the Gulf of Mexico and the Rio Grande. The region, formerly home to a small beach village, is now largely owned by SpaceX.
Proponents argue that incorporation will grant residents—mostly SpaceX employees—greater autonomy over services like roads, utilities, and zoning. City leaders believe these changes will support further residential and commercial growth, including housing developments for incoming workers drawn by the promise of advancing human spaceflight.
Corporate City or Community?
While company towns have long existed in American history, Musk’s move is rare in the modern era—especially given how integrated SpaceX is in every aspect of life in the new city. Critics argue that this creates a concerning overlap between corporate and civic power, where traditional public checks on authority could be compromised by company interests.
There are also concerns about inclusivity. Some residents who don’t work for SpaceX—among the few who voted against incorporation—have raised concerns about being marginalized in a town where the company effectively owns and governs the majority of land and infrastructure.
Environmental and Cultural Tensions
Not everyone welcomes Starbase’s rise. On the same day as the vote, activists gathered on nearby Boca Chica Beach to protest the company's growing footprint and its impact on the local environment and Indigenous heritage. Juan Mancias, chair of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, criticized SpaceX for failing to acknowledge the cultural and historical significance of the area. “They don’t know the history of the land,” he said. “They’re trying to erase that.”
Environmentalists and local groups have also pushed back against increased beach closures caused by rocket tests. Boca Chica Beach, a cherished spot for fishing, camping, and off-roading, has grown increasingly inaccessible. SpaceX has requested to ramp up launches from five to 25 per year, each requiring public evacuation of the beach for safety.
A controversial bill now under consideration in the Texas Legislature would transfer authority to close the beach on weekdays from Cameron County to the newly formed Starbase city council—a move that some say would give the company even more control over public space. Cameron County officials have opposed the bill, arguing the current system works well and doesn’t need changing.
What Happens Next?
Now that Starbase is on the verge of becoming an official municipality, attention turns to how it will be governed and what it means for public access, transparency, and oversight. As a city, Starbase will be subject to Texas state laws regarding open meetings and public records, potentially offering some checks on SpaceX’s influence—though how robust those checks will be in practice remains to be seen.
At its heart, Starbase is a unique experiment: a company-led city designed around a private spaceport, built not for tourists or general industry, but for a workforce devoted to Musk’s vision of a multiplanetary future.
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