SpaceX asks Starbase for a tax abatement on a $24 billion gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility beside Brownsville, with a hearing December 9th
The City of Starbase gave notice that its City Commission will meet on December 9th, 2026. It will consider a property tax abatement agreement and a related economic development agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX proposes to build, own and operate a gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility. The notice puts the capital investment for the initial phases at approximately $24 billion and says the project may grow in later phases. The site is an approximately 444-acre tract in Cameron County, just east of Brownsville between Boca Chica Boulevard and the Port of Brownsville, now inside Starbase's city limits. The Texas Tribune reports Brownsville commissioners voted unanimously in August to take the land out of the city at SpaceX's request. In exchange SpaceX agreed to give up to $220 million for water and wastewater projects, and Starbase later annexed the land. The Tribune reported on November 10th that Brownsville's 90-day moratorium on data center applications had taken effect the week before, and the site sits outside it. The Tribune reports the gas plant could power the data center without a connection to the state grid. SpaceX did not answer the Tribune's questions.
How to take part
The Starbase City Commission meets in public session on Wednesday, December 9th, 2026 at 7 p.m. at 48491 State Highway 4 in Starbase. The city's notice invites interested persons to attend and be heard on the proposed agreements. The notice is posted on the city's own site.
Where
1 county. In Brownsville-Harlingen.
Timeline
- Today
- hearing
Starbase City Commission considers the Chapter 312 tax abatement and Chapter 380 agreement with SpaceX, 7 p.m.
27 days out
How this decision moved
One dated line per check, oldest first. A line that says nothing changed means somebody looked and it had not.
- 2026-11-11
Admitted on Starbase's own notice of the December 9th hearing. The city will consider the abatement and the economic development agreement with SpaceX at that meeting, and the public may speak.
The evidence
Every fact above rests on one of these. The words are the source's own.
SpaceX proposes to construct, own, and operate a gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility.City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
Estimated capital investment for initial phases of the project is approximately $24 billion, which may be constructed over multiple phases and include future expansions.City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
The proposed project site is located within the corporate limits of the City of Starbase, in Cameron County, Texas, and consists of an approximately 444-acre tract just east of the City of Brownsville, between Boca Chica Blvd and the Port of Brownsville,City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
will convene in public session at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at 48491 State Highway 4, Starbase, Texas 78521,City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
the City Commission will consider approval of a property tax abatement agreement under Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code, and a related economic development agreement under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code,City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., a Texas corporation (“SpaceX”).City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
Interested persons are invited to attend the meeting and to be heard on the proposed agreements.City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
The project would be constructed in the Cameron County Enterprise Zone,City of Starbase, Notice of Public Hearing, tax abatement agreement with SpaceX, December 9th, 2026 Primary source, official · cdn.prod.website-files.com
SpaceX is planning to build a $24 billion data center and power plant just outside of Brownsville on property that the city had just de-annexed earlier this year at the company’s request, circumventing Brownsville’s data center moratorium that went into effect last week.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
the city of Starbase, which later annexed land where the project will be built into their city limits,The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
The gas-fired power plant that SpaceX plans to build could provide power to its data center to avoid connecting to the state’s power grid.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
SpaceX did not respond to questions regarding the project.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
Brownsville approved its own 90-day moratorium which went into effect last week, temporarily hitting pause on data center applications within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
Brownsville city commissioners unanimously voted to de-annex the land, which is located near the Port of Brownsville.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX to fund up to $220M in Brownsville water projects in exchange for land Journalism · texastribune.org
In exchange, SpaceX agreed to give the city up to $220 million for water and wastewater projects.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX to fund up to $220M in Brownsville water projects in exchange for land Journalism · texastribune.org
If commissioners didn’t approve the deal that very day, McCorkle said the deal would be off the table.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX to fund up to $220M in Brownsville water projects in exchange for land Journalism · texastribune.org
The city of Brownsville said it stood by its decision to de-annex the property, which was based on “information and circumstances presented at the time,” the city said in a statement.The Texas Tribune, SpaceX plans $24 billion data center and power plant near Brownsville Journalism · texastribune.org
Questions about this decision
Answered from the record itself. Every answer is assembled from stored fields, so an answer the record has no basis for is left out rather than guessed.
What is this decision?
The City of Starbase gave notice that its City Commission will meet on December 9th, 2026. It will consider a property tax abatement agreement and a related economic development agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX proposes to build, own and operate a gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility. The notice puts the capital investment for the initial phases at approximately $24 billion and says the project may grow in later phases. The site is an approximately 444-acre tract in Cameron County, just east of Brownsville between Boca Chica Boulevard and the Port of Brownsville, now inside Starbase's city limits. The Texas Tribune reports Brownsville commissioners voted unanimously in August to take the land out of the city at SpaceX's request. In exchange SpaceX agreed to give up to $220 million for water and wastewater projects, and Starbase later annexed the land. The Tribune reported on November 10th that Brownsville's 90-day moratorium on data center applications had taken effect the week before, and the site sits outside it. The Tribune reports the gas plant could power the data center without a connection to the state grid. SpaceX did not answer the Tribune's questions.
Who decides it?
City Commission of the City of Starbase decides. The record names the deciding body for every entry it carries.
Can the public take part?
The Starbase City Commission meets in public session on Wednesday, December 9th, 2026 at 7 p.m. at 48491 State Highway 4 in Starbase. The city's notice invites interested persons to attend and be heard on the proposed agreements. The notice is posted on the city's own site.
Where in Texas does it apply?
It covers Cameron County in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX area.
Has it been decided?
It is pending. No final decision is on the record.
What happens next?
The next dated step is hearing, on December 9th, in 27 days.
When did it start?
The earliest date on its record is December 9th, 2026.
What kind of decision is it?
It is filed under data centers.
What sources back it?
Three sources back it. One of them is primary.
Is it on the ERCOT grid?
Yes. It sits inside the ERCOT interconnection.
When was it last checked?
Every fact on it was last verified against its source on November 11th, 2026.
Cite this
Texas AI Docket, SpaceX asks Starbase for a tax abatement on a $24 billion gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility beside Brownsville, with a hearing December 9th. Tracked since November 11th, 2026. Last verified November 11th, 2026. https://texasaidocket.com/item/tx-2026-0246/. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. The same entry is in the docket JSON as item tx-2026-0246.
Beat
Filed under Data centers, with every other decision on that beat.