Voters Head to the Polls to Decide If Elon Musk Should Get a Company Town in Texas

Elon Musk is aiming to bring back a "company town" concept for SpaceX near Starbase on the Texas Gulf Coast, planning to invest $1.5 billion to create housing, schools, and utilities. The project would be run by SpaceX employees, including current vice president Bobby Peden as mayor and two commissioners. However, residents oppose it, viewing it as an exploitation of their community. Meanwhile, Musk is also developing a nearby "Snailbrook" project, which remains underdeveloped but symbolizes his interest in utopian cities backed by billionaire supporters. The plan reflects the nostalgia for 19th-century capitalism among America's elite.