Local Kids Target Musk’s Piñata as Starbase Becomes Texas’s Newest City

BOCA CHICA, Texas — In the driving wind off the Gulf of Mexico, a crowd of local kids gathered under the towering steel structures known as ‘Mechazilla’ on June 17, 2025, to take part in a unique celebration. Moments after Starbase was officially announced as Texas’s newest city, the youngsters took turns bashing a piñata shaped like billionaire Elon Musk, who had actively supported the city’s incorporation.

The election results revealed a landslide victory for Starbase, with a vote of 212 to 6, primarily from SpaceX employees. As the youngest child struck the piñata, an older boy speared it, spilling fruit snacks to cheers from onlookers. Amid the laughter, someone shouted, ‘Eat the rich,’ and the children rushed in to grab the treats as Musk’s effigy lay in tatters.

The launch site, located two miles away from Starbase, has dramatically altered the local landscape of the Rio Grande Valley since SpaceX has been operating there. New housing developments like Lunar Estates and Starship Landing have emerged along the highway, while local shops have adopted rocket themes, some even building shrines to Musk.

Despite the community’s visible enthusiasm, many residents from nearby Brownsville expressed anger at the election process, feeling excluded from a decision that could greatly impact their lives. Protesters gathered at Boca Chica Beach to voice their frustrations, claiming they should have been allowed to vote.

Rene Medrano, a local rancher, spoke directly to the crowd: ‘They want to go to Mars. Let them go to Mars. The people here want to enjoy the beach.’ Medrano emphasized the need for locals to retain access to Boca Chica Beach, which is now often shut down for SpaceX launches.

However, SpaceX has also been credited with bringing jobs and significant investment to the region, often regarded as one of the poorest areas in the country. It reportedly employs over 3,400 full-time workers while generating substantial economic benefits for local businesses and infrastructure.

The conflicting narratives surrounding SpaceX have further polarized opinions in the region. With the recent incorporation, Musk’s influence over local governance has expanded. New city officials, many of whom have ties to SpaceX, now hold significant power, enabling them to enact local policies and control funds.

According to Brian Highsmith, a researcher at Harvard, this development resembles historical company towns where corporate interests shaped governance. ‘Instead of opting out of the government, Musk has opted to become the government,’ Highsmith observed, highlighting the unique dynamics at play in Starbase.

Residents now find themselves grappling with Musk’s growing political power. As local politicians have shown support for SpaceX, the new city is tasked with establishing regulations and guiding development in line with Musk’s ambitious vision.

Veteran Homer Pompa, a nearby resident who chose not to vote, wondered about the future. ‘You can’t stop progress,’ he said, acknowledging the challenges but also the inevitability of change.

As new plans emerge for Starbase, including a community center and school, locals await clarity on how their lives will be affected. For now, the celebration also serves as a reminder that the rapidly changing landscape may not align with everyone’s vision of the future.