X has quietly moved its official headquarters to a rural community just outside of Austin, Texas, according to court filings. The company, formerly known as Twitter, relocated to Bastrop, where fellow Musk-owned companies SpaceX and The Boring Company are also located. The move was made official last month when X updated its incorporation documents to reflect the new address. CEO Elon Musk is requesting that the ongoing lawsuit with former CNN anchor Don Lemon be allowed to proceed in Texas, signaling a shift away from California.
Musk previously announced in July that both X and SpaceX would be moving their headquarters to Austin, Texas, citing a controversial California law as the reason. X closed its San Francisco office in September and is reportedly looking to sublease the space. Employees in the Bay Area are currently being shuffled between offices in San Jose and Palo Alto. The new headquarters in Bastrop is located in a Musk-owned shopping center that includes various amenities such as a grocery store, hair salon, and pub.
In a declaration from X real estate director Nicole Hollander, it is noted that the company has 188 full-time employees in Texas, although the specific number at the Bastrop location was not specified. The new headquarters is situated at Building 2 in Hyperloop Plaza, where X has signed a three-year commercial lease. Musk is revealed to be the landlord of the property, indicating a direct ownership connection to the company’s new base of operations. X will eventually move all employees from its Austin office to the Bastrop location, solidifying the rural community as its official headquarters.
X had previously announced plans to hire trust and safety roles in Bastrop for a “Safety X Support Center.” The company has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the relocation and ongoing changes. Musk had been acquiring land in Bastrop under an LLC called Gapped Bass since 2021, leading to the development of various buildings and construction sites for SpaceX and The Boring Company in the area. Residents of the town have expressed concerns over the rapid development, with The Boring Company facing environmental fines for unpermitted tunneling and wastewater dumping.
Forbes reported that Musk had also established an experimental branch of his Ad Astra school in Bastrop, enrolling preschool and elementary students for the upcoming school year. The presence of multiple Musk-owned companies and projects in the rural community signifies a growing investment and interest in the area. The relocation of X’s headquarters to Bastrop further solidifies the town as a hub for Musk’s ventures, alongside providing potential economic benefits and job opportunities for residents. The ongoing shifts within Musk’s business empire continue to shape the landscape of various industries and communities, with Texas emerging as a key location for his future endeavors.