Texas has officially created a new company town named Starbase, aimed at serving as a testing and launch site for SpaceX and other space tech innovators in the southern region of the state. This initiative was confirmed following a decisive election on Saturday.
“It’s official now!” Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, announced via a post on the social media platform he owns, sharing a promotional video for the new city on Sunday.
Starbase has been established in an unincorporated region of Cameron County, Texas, located near the Gulf of Mexico. This area, which President Trump had previously referred to as the “Gulf of America,” is roughly 20 miles away from Brownsville and encompasses a territory of about two square miles—home to approximately 186,000 residents.
Strong and Swift Community Support
The final vote tally reached 212 votes, according to the Cameron County Election Manager, with about 84% of ballots cast during the early voting period leading up to Saturday’s election.
Most of the 283 individuals eligible to vote for this initiative—who are registered voters living within the proposed boundaries of the city—are either SpaceX employees or their family members.
Transitioning from Rockets to City Development
Musk, who is currently the world’s wealthiest individual at 53, first proposed the idea of creating a star base in a post dated 2021.
According to Richard Cardile, a senior manager at SpaceX Starport, the company owns a limited amount of land within the new city, including residential properties.
After the establishment of Starbase, voters on Saturday elected the city’s inaugural officials, including Mayor Bobby Peden, alongside Jordan Bass and Jenna Petruzelka.
Prior to the election, little was known about Peden, Bass, and Petruzelka, as there were no visible signs of a typical campaign in the Bocachica Beach area, about 20 miles east of Brownsville. There were no yard signs, campaign websites, or forums for discussions.
However, Musk’s influence—having been a key advisor to Trump and significantly investing in the previous presidential election—is expected to greatly impact the direction of this new city.
A Look at Company Towns
Company towns, where major employers own most of the property and businesses, have historically developed around industrial sites in rural areas. In the U.S., such towns emerged near railroads, coal mines, and textile mills, with modern examples, like Silicon Valley, representing a new tech-based version.
Concerns from Detractors
Some critics warn that the close relationship between residents and corporations in such towns can lead to unfavorable working conditions. A left-leaning think tank, the American Center for Progress, raised alarms in 2019 about the need for antitrust measures and labor protections to shield workers from potential exploitation in these environments.
They noted that while company towns can concentrate labor markets, such dynamics could negatively affect workers unless accompanied by policies ensuring safe working conditions and fair wages.
