A group of elite technology leaders planning to build a new city in California is “absolutely” worried about public backlash about their project or accusations of foreign ties, the proposal's CEO tells the paper. Told. new york post Monday.
What is your background?
Investment group Flannery Associates will purchase 52,000 acres of land near Travis Air Force Base in Solano County. The identities of the group's supporters are largely unknown, raising concerns that the land was acquired by buyers with ties to China or other foreign adversaries.
August new york times Reports reveal that Silicon Valley tech investors are behind the mysterious acquisition. The group's lawyers said the investors acquired the land to “diversify their portfolio.” According to the paper, backers include Andreessen Horowitz, Laurene Powell Jobs, Michael Moritz, Reid Hoffman, Patrick and John Collison, Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman. It is said to have been included.
The U.S. Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is still investigating the deal, citing potential national security concerns.
The tech and financial moguls plan to use the land to build California Forever, a walkable, sustainable city similar to Paris or New York City's West Village, Blaze News reports. Previously reported.
The moguls' investment caused considerable backlash within the community.
Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy said in November that despite the group's grand plans for the land, no one had contacted the city to discuss the proposal. “Some of the investors already have very deep business ties to China,” he told the Post.
California Democratic Rep. John Garamendi accused the group of allegedly using “strong-arm tactics” to acquire land from local farmers.
Flannery Associates has previously disclosed its relationships with foreign investors and has consistently maintained that it has “complied with all government inquiries.”
“Although most local elected officials are open to the opportunities our projects will bring for local jobs, investment, middle class housing and clean power, unfortunately some local politicians is irresponsibly spreading rumors and misinformation to imply that California Forever is not an American company,” the investment group said.
Investors are not concerned at all
Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, recently told the Post that despite the negative publicity, Solano County residents seem to be receptive to the idea of building a city.
“I think there is a real situation where there is a small but very vocal group of people who don't like this project,” Slamek said. “If you talk to the average person in the county, they're very excited about this.”
Last month, Mr. Slamek told the Post that Flannery Associates had “provided all of this information to CFIUS a long time ago” and that suggesting the group was hiding its foreign ties was “frankly… It's ridiculous.''
He denied rumors that the investment group was aiming to build a “utopian” city. Slamek said California Forever “has a need.”[s] Just to clarify the fact that we're not doing that. ”
”[When] “When people look at the plan that we're proposing in January, it's going to be clear that it's nothing like that, it's very traditional, good American urbanism,” Slamek told the Post. . , because it shouldn't be a utopia. ”
Sramek said he is “fairly confident” that the November ballot measure to move forward with city construction will pass, but added that “there may be other ways to build the project.”
The group envisions a city with short commutes, good-paying jobs, sustainable energy and affordable living, the newspaper reported. More details about the project will be announced this month.
Mr Moi, who wants to block the project, believes backers will regret their investment.
”[Sramek] Silicon Valley billionaires are clearly investors. We welcome them to come and invest here in Fairfield, Suisan City and Solano County,” Moy said.
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