By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Tennessee has approved a no-cost lease of a parking lot near the Capitol to The Boring Company, allowing them to begin the Music City Loop project. The decision, approved unanimously by the State Building Commission Executive Subcommittee, faced public criticism and concerns from Democratic lawmakers regarding transparency and the benefits for Nashville residents. The public and lawmakers questioned the process, the impact on landowners, and the appropriateness of providing public land to a private company, particularly as The Boring Company had already begun site preparation before the vote. Despite these concerns, the lease was approved, prompting further criticism and discussion of potential legal action.
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Free land lease approved for Elon Musk’s The Boring Company’s Nashville travel tunnel, despite public outcry.
Alright, let’s dive into this, shall we? Seems like the Nashville project is causing a bit of a stir. The core of it is this: The Boring Company, spearheaded by Elon Musk, has been granted a free land lease for a travel tunnel project in Nashville, and it’s fair to say, not everyone’s thrilled. You’ve got your classic ingredients for controversy: a high-profile figure, a potentially disruptive project, and a government decision that’s been met with a significant public outcry.
Before the ink was even dry on the approval, there were rumblings. The Boring Company had already started setting up fences and equipment on the parking lot in question. That immediately raised eyebrows, didn’t it? It made some question whether the whole approval process was just a formality, a pre-ordained outcome. The suspicion of a done deal doesn’t sit well with a lot of people, and it’s understandable why.
And the critics aren’t just stopping there, they are drawing comparisons to other Boring Company projects, like the one in Las Vegas. The Vegas Loop, as it’s known, has been heavily subsidized by the city and The Boring Company itself to keep the cost of a ride down. This is not a sustainable business model and casts doubt on the financial viability of the Nashville project. The concern is that it’s a “shittier subway infrastructure with extra steps,” as some put it, and is the kind of thing that might result in less capacity, slower travel times, and higher costs.
There’s a strong current of cynicism here, with accusations of crony capitalism flying around. People are asking, in no uncertain terms, if the process is being influenced, with suggestions of financial motivations. And it isn’t difficult to see the connection between large projects, influential individuals, and potential financial incentives. The sentiment is that the wealthiest individuals shouldn’t be receiving handouts, especially if the project is not going to work out as promised and might need to be bailed out.
Some see this as another example of the rich and powerful getting a leg up, while the public is left footing the bill. The idea that the government is giving “free shit to billionaires” is being thrown around, and that’s never a recipe for universal approval. And let’s not forget that it’s the tax payers that will pay to fix whatever damage is eventually done.
This also makes you question the actual practicality of the whole thing. There’s a strong feeling that it’s a bad idea, that it doesn’t work and that it will lead to a waste of money. This is despite claims that the project will solve Nashville’s traffic problems.
Beyond the financial and political aspects, there are serious engineering concerns. The potential for sinkholes, especially when drilling through limestone, is a major worry. The prospect of abandoned, unfinished projects causing environmental damage and leaving communities in the lurch is something people are worried about. There’s even the potential for dangerous situations within the tunnels themselves, with the prospect of vacuum failures and toxic waste if the system isn’t properly maintained.
And let’s be frank, the name is also an issue for some. The “Boring Company”? Not exactly inspiring confidence, is it?
The narrative here is that The Boring Company wasn’t founded with any intention of improving transit infrastructure. The belief is that Musk’s goal was to stop the high-speed rail project. He seemingly promised tunnels to disrupt the construction of a rail project.
All the public outcry and concerns about traffic, safety, and the impact on communities and the potential for increased cronyism seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Democracy prevailed? Apparently not. It is a recurring theme, this feeling that the billionaire class always gets what they want.