Last week, SpaceX formally requested the $500,000 “performance-based economic development grant,” according to a confidential three-page letter obtained by The Monitor, and pledged to spend $20 million with McAllen-based businesses during the next 10 years.
“Competing states aggressively recruit the space industry by offering incentive programs with up to $20 million in grants annually (approximately 50 percent of total project cost),” according to the letter. “In order to compete, awards from multiple eligible state and local incentive sources are needed to secure the project for South Texas, including the requested performance based incentive from the MEDC.”
“We are looking at other potential launch locations. Expanding on our activities in Florida is one; Georgia, Puerto Rico — and there are a few other possibilities,” Musk said. “So it’s not for sure that it would occur, but I would say that Texas is probably our leading candidate right now.”