California Forever's Ambitious Plans Stalled by Texas Deal

WHO:

SFGATE - California Forever is a project backed by a group of billionaires.

SFGATE - Saronic Technologies Inc. is an Austin-based company involved in shipbuilding.

SFGATE - The Newsom Administration and GO-Biz are mentioned in relation to California Forever's efforts.

WHAT:

SFGATE - California Forever aimed to expand Solano County by up to 400,000 residents.

SFGATE - A $3 billion contract for a shipyard was awarded to Texas instead of California.

SFGATE - Saronic Technologies announced it would build a new shipyard at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, generating $160 billion for the county.

SFGATE - Construction of the new shipyard is set to start this year, with operations expected to begin in 2028.

SFGATE - California Forever expressed frustration over losing the opportunity, stating they were “extremely frustrated that California lost this historic opportunity.”

WHERE:

SFGATE - The project is located in Solano County, California, specifically around Suisun City and Rio Vista.

SFGATE - The new shipyard will be located at the Port of Brownsville, Texas.

WHEN:

SFGATE - Construction of the shipyard is set to start this year, with the port operational in 2028.

SFGATE - California Forever pulled a ballot measure in November 2024.

WHY:

SFGATE - California Forever's project faced unpopularity and dire polling numbers, leading to the withdrawal of the ballot measure.

SFGATE - The group attributed the loss of the contract to California’s permitting regulations, stating the timeline was too slow for “the speed required by America’s national defense needs.”

HOW:

SFGATE - California Forever initially planned to build a new city but pivoted toward manufacturing due to challenges in the approval process.

(UPDATED July 19, 2026 19:19 UTC)

California Forever, a project backed by a group of billionaires, aimed to expand Solano County by up to 400,000 residents but faced significant challenges, leading to the withdrawal of a ballot measure in November 2024. Meanwhile, Saronic Technologies Inc., an Austin-based shipbuilding company, has secured a $3 billion contract to build a new shipyard at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, with construction set to begin this year and operations expected to start in 2028. California Forever expressed their frustration over losing this historic opportunity, citing the slow permitting process in California as a key factor in their inability to compete for the contract.