McAllen, Texas – In a rare public briefing, SpaceX shared specifics about a potential acquisition of land that includes the majority of Boca Chica State Park, the 1,300‑acre parcel that surrounds its Starbase launch complex in Cameron County. City Administrator Cayetana Polanco emphasized that the proposal does not involve Boca Chica Beach, which remains under public stewardship.
Proposed transaction and local response
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s draft agenda for an early‑November meeting referenced a “disposition” of the park land, a term that can denote a sale, trade, or transfer. While the final agenda omitted the item, the draft suggests the agency has been discussing the possibility of relinquishing control of the acreage to SpaceX.
Polanco clarified that the city of Starbase is not a party to any deal and will defer to the state agency and the company for answers. “First, to be absolutely clear, nobody is buying or selling Boca Chica Beach,” she said, underscoring the community’s ongoing beach‑restoration and sea‑turtle‑conservation efforts.
Governor‑elect’s stance
Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, who defeated Gov. Greg Abbott in the November elections, has publicly opposed the sale. She contacted the Texas Parks and Wildlife executive director and asked that “no action be taken” on the transaction during her transition. The agency has not commented publicly and is reportedly attempting to keep the draft agenda from being released.
In response, Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Justin Minsker declined an interview but expressed a willingness to work with Hinojosa and other elected officials.
SpaceX’s broader South Texas projects
Alongside the land‑sale discussion, SpaceX announced progress on a $24 billion data‑center complex near the Port of Brownsville. The project includes a gas‑fired power plant, a super‑computing facility for medical‑research, emergency‑response, advanced‑manufacturing, and national‑security applications, and a testbed for space‑based computing.
Construction has already generated more than 3,000 construction jobs, and the company expects over 500 permanent positions once the facilities are operational. The firm also seeks a tax abatement from the city of Starbase and a county tax break, though details remain undisclosed.
In exchange for a recent request to de‑annex the land from Brownsville city limits, SpaceX pledged $220 million toward local water and wastewater projects. The company’s data‑center will produce its own electricity, sidestepping Gov. Abbott’s statewide pause on new data‑center grid connections.
Future launch activity
SpaceX is also requesting permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to increase launch and landing frequency at Starbase from the current 25 per year to 100, with a long‑term goal of 456. The FAA is still evaluating the request.
Starbase’s population is largely composed of SpaceX employees, and two of the three city commissioners work for the company. The city has kept many details of its operations private, including the closure of Boca Chica Village streets to the public.
Community perspective
Polanco highlighted the community’s contributions to beach restoration, weekly clean‑ups, Fourth of July celebrations, and sea‑turtle conservation. “Nobody has done more to restore the beach than the people of Starbase,” she said, adding that the city looks forward to collaborating with Hinojosa’s administration to accelerate these efforts.
She concluded, “We would be delighted to welcome her to Starbase, introduce her to proud Texans who are building the future of our state, and show her the extraordinary work happening in this community.”
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
