Cameron County releases Starbase Local Impact economic stats

CAMERON COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. shared SpaceX's Starbase Local Impact economic statistics Tuesday, detailing the company's expenditures and projected tourism income.

“I want to thank SpaceX for their direct investment in the communities and school districts throughout Cameron County and for helping put south Texas on the map," Treviño said. "While SpaceX is located in the unincorporated territory of Cameron County, their presence has positively affected all the cities within Cameron County through increased tourism and new job opportunities."

According to the documents, Starbase, located on Boca Chica Beach, has created 3,400 full-time jobs for both SpaceX employees and contractors — as well as created 21,400 indirect jobs in the community generated by Starbase.

Since 2023 in Cameron County, SpaceX has spent $90 million, with over 80 Rio Grande Valley suppliers, for goods and services.

"SpaceX’s vision in Cameron County has always been ambitious, and with the company’s shift to build and launch the Starship spacecraft, the largest rocket ever built, SpaceX’s investment in Cameron County has been significant in recent years," the release stated.

Additionally, SpaceX has spent $3 billion on infrastructure investments at Starbase. The annual gross economic market value of Starbase in the Valley is $6.5 billion.

Eight hundred million dollars of state and local government capital income and indirect business taxes have been generated by Starbase's over 350 acres of land, 222,000 sq. feet for manufacturing and 20,000 sq. feet of vehicle high and medium bays.

As the only county in the United States with six modes of transportation; seaport, air, road,
rail, pipeline and space, Cameron County supports the development of critical infrastructure.

The Cameron County judge hopes additional investment in the form of high-paying jobs, infrastructure, and commerce will continue to follow.

An estimated $99 million in tourism is expected to come from Starbase by 2025.

"We look forward to additional growth and investment in the future as SpaceX carries on their mission to explore space, return us to the moon and colonize Mars," Treviño said.