SpaceX Confirms $100 Billion Spaceport in Vermilion Parish

ABBEVILLE, La. — SpaceX will build a spaceport at Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, Gov. Jeff Landry confirmed at a press event in Abbeville on Tuesday, ending months of speculation about the company’s plans for the coastal marshland southwest of Lafayette. Landry said the company will invest $100 billion in the project, which is expected to become the largest launch facility in the world.

The governor’s cabinet, SpaceX officials, state legislators and local politicians filled the room alongside business leaders for the announcement. Elon Musk did not attend in person. Instead, organizers played a video showing Musk touring the Vermilion Parish site.

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Deal Confirmed After Weeks of Reports

Tuesday’s announcement made official what has been reported for weeks: that SpaceX was closing in on a deal for land near Pecan Island. The project ties back to a settlement resolving a coastal damages lawsuit that Vermilion Parish and the state had brought against ExxonMobil, a case a federal judge dismissed just days before the announcement. That settlement freed up the marshland SpaceX needed for the project.

Credit: Joe Cunningham/TSM

SpaceX has said it will start work on the site once it gains access to the land, beginning with coastal restoration and marshland stabilization before any launch infrastructure goes in.

Construction is set to begin in 2027, according to a state press release.

Jobs: 3,000 Confirmed, Possibly Far More

SpaceX has committed to creating 3,000 jobs for the Vermilion Parish site. But company leaders at Tuesday’s event pointed to hiring patterns at Starbase, the company’s Texas facility, saying employment in Louisiana could eventually climb closer to 10,000 as the spaceport reaches full operation.

The company also emphasized a local-first hiring and development strategy, saying it intends to build up the existing Acadiana workforce rather than import labor from outside the region. Officials specifically pointed to trade positions including welders, builders and other craftsmen as early hiring priorities.

How the Investment Stacks Up

The $100 billion figure more than doubles what Meta has committed to its data center campus in Richland Parish, which until Tuesday stood as the largest industrial project in Louisiana history at roughly $50 billion. Vermilion Parish is a rural area that has struggled with population loss and limited high-paying jobs, and the SpaceX investment alone is set to change that math.

What Happens Next for Vermilion Parish

The deal is official now. The next questions are how quickly coastal restoration work can start on the Pecan Island site and how long the project is expected to take, with current projections showing first launch as early as 2029.

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