Remember the hype about the stream of tourism that would result from the coming of billionaire Elon Musk's bringing SpaceX to launch commercial vehicles from the sands near Boca Chica Beach?
The Sunshine Boys over at the Brownsville Economic Development Council estimated that if Musk deigns to choose Boca Chica Beach, SpaceX would be an $80 million capital investment, bring 600 direct jobs and $50 million in annual salaries as well as 10,000 to 15,000 visitors per launch.
Salinas said the numbers were compiled from SpaceX and the council’s independent economic analysis.Well, we have found out that while Salinas, Jason Hilts, Musk, and the legislators cheerleading the advent of the commercial launch site have swallowed those job numbers, SpaceX is telling the government in its Environmental Impact Statement that there will not be 600 jobs after all.
In fact, if Musk gets enough "incentives" from Texas, Cameron County and the BEDC ($15 million so far) that will compete with the incentives from Florida, Puerto Rico and Georgia, there will be a total of 30 jobs to start in 2014 and will reach a peak of 150 in 2022.
This includes permanent SpaceX employees and contractors.
That's quite a comedown from 600, isn't it Gilbert and Jason?
And in the months after the 2011 meeting, state and local officials gave Musk, a billionaire, what he and his lobbyists sought: about $20 million of financial incentives, laws changed to close a public beach during launches and legal protection from noise complaints. SpaceX hasn’t said whether the Texas site, near Brownsville, the poorest metropolitan area in the nation, will be selected over locations in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico.
Now we have learned from Jim Chapman of the Frontera Club that the US Fish and Wildlife Service is asking that the road be closed at the border patrol checkpoint on launch days.
That checkpoint is located on Highway 4 almost halfway between the beach and Brownsville, which is 25 miles southwest of the gulf. It is manned around-the-clock by Border Patrol agents or highway troopers who stop all drivers headed back from the beach. Now they will halt them on the way there on launch day.
The upshot of all this is that all these people who are excited by the prospect of watching it up close will not be allowed anywhere near the launch site.
And, in contrast to what was said at the cheerleading hearing in Brownsville in 2011, Musk has stated that American astronauts won’t be launched from Boca Chica. SpaceX will continue its NASA-funded launches at Cape Canaveral, in Florida.
But Musk said Boca Chica would be focused on business from companies and foreign governments as well as, eventually, space tourism.
Under the new state law, SpaceX could launch rockets up to 12 times a year, mostly between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., but not on weekends or holidays unless the company can show local and state authorities that scrubbing a launch would cause significant business consequences. At least one nighttime launch would be allowed per year.The beach would be closed for 15 hours on a launch day, up to a maximum of 180 hours per year.SpaceX would use its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Musk testified that the rocket thrust would be the equivalent of four 747′s taking off simultaneously.
Unfortunately, if the US Fish and Wildlife people have their way, the "thousands" of tourists expected to attend the launches will also be kept at least 12 miles away from the launch itself. They might be able to hear the ruckus and see the smoke off in the distance, however.
17 comments:
Juan, who the hell would want to be a spectator at an arms length from the rocket? Only a pendejo who wouldn't mind being charred to a crisp by the boosters or who wouldn't mind getting killed by a failed launch. You claim to be doing good in this community and really you're no better than a Robert Uresti or a Letty Garzoria who will always find something to complain about. If the damn thing is flying into space I am sure it will be able to be seen from miles away. A couple hundred yards are not going to make a difference. You've had no influence in political races and I doubt you'll have one in this effort.
Juan for 30 jobs i say let florida or any other state have him, el musky sure is riding this kahuna wave to see how far along he can get.
They close the road at the checkpoint and Massey's gun shop and range will take a big financial hit and how about others who live down there?
What is your obsession with the poor pitiful faggot? All you do is give him publicity and call attention to him. The fool will implode if you stop propping him up.
Can anyone see that this is just one huge Scam ? That's why we have Cabo CAÑAVERAL FOR THESE SPACE projects. The infra-structure is already in place.
Musk Wealth Soars $1.1 Billion in One Day as Tesla Surges
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-25/musk-wealth-soars-1-1-billion-in-one-day-as-tesla-surges.html
Not bad for a day's work. And, this is the guy that wants to chicken shit Brownsville out of a few lousy tax dollars.
It's closer than 12 miles to the SPI Jetties and just a few hundred yards from a boat in the Gulf.
Praying that SpaceX goes to Florida. Leave Boca Chica Beach the way it is for the next generations.
2:09 PM. Shut up Gilbert.
One thing is for sure. When SpaceX does come to Brownsville, they will have to import all of their employees because the people in the lower valley are so stupid and un qualified to fill even the lowest cleaning and security jobs. You idiots should be glad that a great innovator like Elon Musk would even consider the shit hole valley waiste land. He is going to have to double the salaries of out of towers to move there. People of Brownsville, I pity you. You just don't get it. That is why you are the poorest city in the US. You are an embarrassment to Texas and the rest of the English speaking US.
@ 9:17 AM
Judging from your spelling, you're probably the most unqualified. UNQUALIFIED is one word, not two you idiot. If you had even bothered to do some research or picked up a newspaper every now and then you'd know that UTB has excellent students that impressed SpaceX representatives. These young men and women have even discovered new stars in our universe. Is that "qualified" enough for you? Several of them have secured jobs with SpaceX regardless of their new facility's location. I suggest you at least use spell check to disguise your stupidity next time. If this is such a shit hole why are you still here?
Asshole at 9:17
Why not address the issue of screwing the poorest city in the free world out of a few tax dollars when your own wealth just increase one billion in one day? What kind of totally greedy mind would do a thing like that, how thousands of millions in personal wealth does one need?
The truth hurts sometime. Don't worry vatos. They are only going to close the beach a couple of times a year while the Graduate students from TSC and UT sweep up the SpaceX offices before a launch. You and your fat wife will still get to go eat your sand covered elotes on boca chica beach The other days. If SpaceX decides to go somewhere else it will not be because you do not want them here. It will be because of your culture, or lack of. Now go dance in the street in your stupid costumes, it's charro days! You morons. On a positive note, IF space x does choose Borwnsville, it will be the closest thing to a space program that mexico has! Ja ja ja! As you like to say.
@ 11 35 Screwed out of tax dollars ? lMAO ! You all don't pay taxes down there, you just suck the tit of hard working Americans. It is your own people and politicians who steal from the few tax payers. why do you hate a successful businessman like Musk? I will tell you why. Like crabs in a bucket.....
@11:13 did you know that you can go on the Internet and have a undiscovered star named after someone ? I guess that makes me a tsc scientist.! Please keep the comedy coming, you prove my point with every one of your posts. Thanks to Juan also who I don't always agree with but respect his point of view.
The Cubans came to Brownsville . They arrived to invest and develope in real state. I asked the head-honcho why they were leaving. His response: Conyo, estamos en el Culo del Mundo. The people here don't give a Chit!
Cubans, now we are talking about a cultured, hard working and for the most part a politically conservative society. I even like the bad ones.
The bad Cubans stayed in Brownsville to screw the
Locals as parlayed by Da Mayor!
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