It might not matter if Elon Musk can’t recreate Twitter to his design. Reportedly, he has ambitions to build a real utopia.
According to a depth Wall Street Journal report cites multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, Elon Musk purchased thousands of acres of farmland outside of Austin, Texas. He would plan to build his own city on the land. The WSJ says that in meetings with landowners and realtors, Musk and his representatives described a utopian city where his employees could live and work along the Colorado River.
Directors of Boring Co. reportedly looked into incorporating a city in Bastrop County, 35 miles from the state capital in Austin. Those with knowledge of the plans say Musk wants Boring, SpaceX and Tesla employees living in and around Austin to have access to homes they can rent at cheaper rates than in an iconic tech location like notoriously expensive San Francisco, CA .
The log reports that the city is already more real than not. The property that could become Musk’s utopia is adjacent to incomplete SpaceX and Boring Co. facilities in Bastrop. The WSJ says the site already houses several modular homes and recreational facilities, including a swimming pool and gym. Signs at the location say it is “Snailbrook, TX, estimated 2021” – “Snailbrook” also refers to Boring’s unofficial mascot, the snail.
Insider notes that Musk has expressed utopian inspirations in the past:
In 2021, Musk made an “urgent” plea for more housing in Austin, Texas, as SpaceX and Tesla attempted to fill hundreds of jobs in the area. At the time, Musk had said he planned to form a new city called Starbase at SpaceX’s Texas launch facilities, about five hours from Austin. But while SpaceX employees have taken over much of Boca Chica, Texas, it’s unclear if Musk ever fully settled the city.
Utopian concepts based on car production needs are not new. Henry Ford has failed Fordlandia was an attempt by Ford Motor Company to establish a rubber plantation in the Brazilian Amazon in the 1920s. Ford envisioned an American-style self-sufficient community with homes, schools, churches, and modern conveniences. It would house thousands of workers and supply latex for Ford’s tire plants.
Fordlandia was doomed from the start by poor planning, lead cultural missteps and labor disputes. The land purchased for the failed experiment was sold back to the Brazilian government.
However, where Henry Ford failed, Musk has plenty of input from creatives to help. The WSJ reports that he has consulted several people close to him about Snailbrook, including Kanye West, the hip-hop mogul’s architectural designer, and Musk’s ex and mother of two of his many children, the singer Grimes.
