The Lies Keep Coming From SpaceX: Why Musk Really Wants Residents Evicted
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
Brownsville was selected as one of the finalists for a private launch facility to be built by Elon Musk's private space exploration companies, SpaceX.
The people rejoiced.
The decision was made. SpaceX would build their launch facility near Boca Chica Beach. The company was given a huge tax abatement by the county and the state as bulldozers began clearing sections of pristine, undisturbed beachfront land, home to dozens of species of wildlife.
The people still rejoiced.
SpaceX and Musk promised Brownsville would be home to the Falcon 9 heavy rockets SpaceX uses to launch commercial satellites into orbit around earth. Musk said thousands of space and technology enthusiasts would make their way to Brownsville, stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and spend their money as at least two launches per month were planned. City leaders in Brownsville and South Padre Island furiously planned observation platforms so people could watch the rockets blast off into the South Texas night sky.
Business owners and city leaders rejoiced.
SpaceX and Musk promised jobs for local residents that paid, at least, 70,000 dollars a year. Musk promised Brownsville would be a leader in helping the world become more connected via outer space. The jobs were slow to come. However, Musk said not to worry, the jobs were coming.
The people continued to rejoice.
The people who lived in Boca Chica Village, the tiny sleepy hamlet that lies within a stones-throw of the new launch facility, worried their proximity to the platforms would mean their homes might be damaged due to the many launches and tests. SpaceX and Musk told the people they wouldn't have to worry — their homes would be undisturbed and safe.
The people who lived in Boca Chica Village rejoiced.
The people were happy. Brownsville was going to be on the cutting edge of the space and technology industry. Schools were going to encourage their students to study engineering and science. Jobs were going to be created. Money was going to start rolling in with all the tourists coming to see the rockets blast into space. The politicians who ushered in this new era were going to have their legaices cemented.
Brownsville was finally moving in the right direction. The ghosts of Titan Tire and SATA USA were finally exorcised.
But then something happened. Actually, nothing happened. The years passed as a cold concrete slab surrounded by a chain link fence was the only thing built. The jobs trickled in, but the vehicles in the SpaceX parking lot didn't have Texas license plates. Most of them had license plates from out-of-state. Then, Musk released a statement — the Falcon 9 rockets would not be launching from Brownsville, they would be launched from the space they rented from the U.S. government in Cape Canaveral. Instead, Brownsville would be the facility where the company's ultimate vision would be realized — the space vehicle to be used to transport people to Mars would be developed here.
Despite this complete 180 coming from Musk, the people still rejoiced. The first people to colonize Mars would leave earth from Brownsville, Texas.
Musk and SpaceX keep moving the goalposts, and the people still seem to think the company is doing great things for Brownsville, Cameron County, the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and South Texas. With little, to no, real tangible evidence they've done anything to better the community, SpaceX Superfans still think the company is doing great things and Brownsville will become a modern-era boomtown any day now.
Then, Musk and SpaceX changed their stories yet again. After a failed test from one of their prototypes blew its top and landed in the Gulf of Mexico, SpaceX administrators began telling the people who live in Boca Chica Village it would probably be better if they moved from the homes many of them have lived in for generations. Residents were offered three times what their property was appraised at.
Many villagers did not want to sell. Some said the appraisals were undervalued. Others had absolutely no interest in selling and wanted to keep living in the quiet village. A whole other Pandora's Box was opened. Lawyers began getting involved, the media began covering the battle between SpaceX and the Boca Chica Village residents, and government entities are being thrown into the mix. Terms like "eminent domain" are being used to try and pressure people to sell their property. SpaceX kept insisting it was for the good of the residents — living that close to the launch facility was just too dangerous.
Now it seems that story, too, is changing.
The local NBC affiliate, KVEO, posted a story on their website written by Alfredo Cuadros. The story describes a job listing posted by SpaceX. The job listing was for a "project coordinator" whose responsibilities are similar to that of an apartment complex manager and maintenance supervisor. According to the article, the responsibilities include managing a booking system of 100 rooms, repair work, and plumbing work.
The job posting was taken down, but KVEO managed to make a copy of the job listing that also included groundskeeping at something called "SpaceX Village."
It appears the shroud has been ripped away. Apparently, the residents of Boca Chica Village were never in any real danger of anything. That was just a smokescreen to try and convince residents to sell their property to SpaceX. It appears SpaceX is planning to replace the village that was too dangerous to live in with a hotel-like or apartment-like complex for their employees.
I'll say it again so there is no confusion. It seems SpaceX just wanted to evict the residents of Boca Chica Village in order to make room for their own SpaceX Village.
SpaceX has done nothing but lie and fail to live up to any of their promises. They have displaced a group of people who have lived near Boca Chica Beach for decades. They have failed to deliver on their promise of jobs and economic prosperity for the region, and they've done it without paying any local, or state, taxes.
Funny how snake oil salesmen are still trying to swindle people. The product might change, but it's apparent their unscrupulous tactics, lies, and methods still remain the same.
Brownsville was selected as one of the finalists for a private launch facility to be built by Elon Musk's private space exploration companies, SpaceX.
The people rejoiced.
The decision was made. SpaceX would build their launch facility near Boca Chica Beach. The company was given a huge tax abatement by the county and the state as bulldozers began clearing sections of pristine, undisturbed beachfront land, home to dozens of species of wildlife.
The people still rejoiced.
SpaceX and Musk promised Brownsville would be home to the Falcon 9 heavy rockets SpaceX uses to launch commercial satellites into orbit around earth. Musk said thousands of space and technology enthusiasts would make their way to Brownsville, stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and spend their money as at least two launches per month were planned. City leaders in Brownsville and South Padre Island furiously planned observation platforms so people could watch the rockets blast off into the South Texas night sky.
Business owners and city leaders rejoiced.
SpaceX and Musk promised jobs for local residents that paid, at least, 70,000 dollars a year. Musk promised Brownsville would be a leader in helping the world become more connected via outer space. The jobs were slow to come. However, Musk said not to worry, the jobs were coming.
The people continued to rejoice.
The people who lived in Boca Chica Village, the tiny sleepy hamlet that lies within a stones-throw of the new launch facility, worried their proximity to the platforms would mean their homes might be damaged due to the many launches and tests. SpaceX and Musk told the people they wouldn't have to worry — their homes would be undisturbed and safe.
The people who lived in Boca Chica Village rejoiced.
The people were happy. Brownsville was going to be on the cutting edge of the space and technology industry. Schools were going to encourage their students to study engineering and science. Jobs were going to be created. Money was going to start rolling in with all the tourists coming to see the rockets blast into space. The politicians who ushered in this new era were going to have their legaices cemented.
Brownsville was finally moving in the right direction. The ghosts of Titan Tire and SATA USA were finally exorcised.
But then something happened. Actually, nothing happened. The years passed as a cold concrete slab surrounded by a chain link fence was the only thing built. The jobs trickled in, but the vehicles in the SpaceX parking lot didn't have Texas license plates. Most of them had license plates from out-of-state. Then, Musk released a statement — the Falcon 9 rockets would not be launching from Brownsville, they would be launched from the space they rented from the U.S. government in Cape Canaveral. Instead, Brownsville would be the facility where the company's ultimate vision would be realized — the space vehicle to be used to transport people to Mars would be developed here.
Despite this complete 180 coming from Musk, the people still rejoiced. The first people to colonize Mars would leave earth from Brownsville, Texas.
Musk and SpaceX keep moving the goalposts, and the people still seem to think the company is doing great things for Brownsville, Cameron County, the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and South Texas. With little, to no, real tangible evidence they've done anything to better the community, SpaceX Superfans still think the company is doing great things and Brownsville will become a modern-era boomtown any day now.
Then, Musk and SpaceX changed their stories yet again. After a failed test from one of their prototypes blew its top and landed in the Gulf of Mexico, SpaceX administrators began telling the people who live in Boca Chica Village it would probably be better if they moved from the homes many of them have lived in for generations. Residents were offered three times what their property was appraised at.
Many villagers did not want to sell. Some said the appraisals were undervalued. Others had absolutely no interest in selling and wanted to keep living in the quiet village. A whole other Pandora's Box was opened. Lawyers began getting involved, the media began covering the battle between SpaceX and the Boca Chica Village residents, and government entities are being thrown into the mix. Terms like "eminent domain" are being used to try and pressure people to sell their property. SpaceX kept insisting it was for the good of the residents — living that close to the launch facility was just too dangerous.
Now it seems that story, too, is changing.
The local NBC affiliate, KVEO, posted a story on their website written by Alfredo Cuadros. The story describes a job listing posted by SpaceX. The job listing was for a "project coordinator" whose responsibilities are similar to that of an apartment complex manager and maintenance supervisor. According to the article, the responsibilities include managing a booking system of 100 rooms, repair work, and plumbing work.
The job posting was taken down, but KVEO managed to make a copy of the job listing that also included groundskeeping at something called "SpaceX Village."
It appears the shroud has been ripped away. Apparently, the residents of Boca Chica Village were never in any real danger of anything. That was just a smokescreen to try and convince residents to sell their property to SpaceX. It appears SpaceX is planning to replace the village that was too dangerous to live in with a hotel-like or apartment-like complex for their employees.
I'll say it again so there is no confusion. It seems SpaceX just wanted to evict the residents of Boca Chica Village in order to make room for their own SpaceX Village.
SpaceX has done nothing but lie and fail to live up to any of their promises. They have displaced a group of people who have lived near Boca Chica Beach for decades. They have failed to deliver on their promise of jobs and economic prosperity for the region, and they've done it without paying any local, or state, taxes.
Funny how snake oil salesmen are still trying to swindle people. The product might change, but it's apparent their unscrupulous tactics, lies, and methods still remain the same.
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