It's delusions of grandeur, his critics will say.
This is yet another sign of his megalomania, they will argue.
But there is no doubt that such a project will create a buzz among his detractors and admirers.
The former will continue to see it as proof that Elon Musk, the charismatic CEO of Tesla (TSLA), is a billionaire like the others, who wants to use his financial power to get what he wants.
His fans will see it as a realization of an element of his overall vision for our civilization.
An Entire New City in Texas
Musk, the techno king, wants to build his dream city in Texas, where he has lived since the end of 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal. The billionaire moved the headquarters of electric vehicle maker Tesla from Fremont, Calif., to Austin, Texas in 2021. The Boring Company and SpaceX, two other of his businesses, also have facilities in the state.
He has already acquired thousands of acres of agricultural land and grazing meadows, according to notarial deeds and land documents that the newspaper consulted. The idea is to create in this space a utopian vision of Texas, where employees of his three companies -- Tesla, SpaceX and The Boring Company -- could live and work along the Colorado River.
There are already signs on the site, according to the Wall Street Journal. One of the signs reads: "Welcome to Snailbrook, Texas, created in 2021."
Asked about the article by a Twitter user, the billionaire said it was "false."
"This article is false," the billionaire commented on Twitter on Mar.11.
The Snailbrook name is a reference to a challenge Musk submitted to employees of The Boring Company, which aims to create tunnels under cities to relieve traffic congestion. The billionaire had asked employees to design drilling machines that would go "faster than snails”.
Snailbrook is also a nod to The Boring Company's mascot, Gary the Snail.
The place is still a huge construction site, but it is possible to see the first modular houses, a swimming pool, a sports area and a gymnasium. A hundred homes already exist in the city, located in the county of Bastrop, the WSJ reported.
After having disrupted the world of the automobile and space, Musk sees himself as a real estate magnate.
Election for Mayor
The city project promises to give his employees the possibility of living in new houses with rent lower than market prices.
Real estate prices in and around Austin have risen sharply in recent months, as many tech companies move to the business-friendly state of Texas.
The billionaire, his former girlfriend singer Grimes, and rapper, designer and business man Kanye West - now called Ye - as well as the architect of the rapper discussed last year what the city should look like, the newspaper said.
Also last year, Steve Davis, the president of The Boring Company and a top lieutenant of Musk, told employees that they would have to hold an election for mayor.
Texas law requires a minimum of 201 residents for an area to be recognized as a municipality. Once this condition has been met, an application file must be submitted, which must then be validated by a county judge. For the time being, Musk has not yet taken this step.
But this could be a formality for the tech mogul. Since last year, employees of The Boring Company can already apply for one of the future accommodations. It will cost them $800 per month for a one or two-bedroom home. This is much less than the median rent in Bastrop County, estimated at $2,200.
It remains to be seen how the billionaire will manage his city once built. Housing would be linked to jobs, the paper said. Therefore, a laid off employee would have 30 days to leave the premises.
The Boring Company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
