x

Brownsville Business Owner Affected by SpaceX Road Closures

4 years 8 months 3 weeks ago Thursday, August 01 2019 Aug 1, 2019 August 01, 2019 5:22 PM August 01, 2019 in News - Local

UPDATE: A SpaceX spokesperson says customers who ask to visit the gun shop will be allowed through the checkpoint.

Cameron County officials tell us authorities will escort any customers to the business.

----

BROWNSVILLE – The Rio Grande Valley’s own space race is slowing down one Brownsville man’s business from making ends meet.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS spoke with a gun range owner who says the road closures for SpaceX testing is costing him big bucks.

Testing of the SpaceX Starhopper has been taking place since March and has been picking up in the recent weeks.

The problem is that when they shut down the roads none of the gun range’s customers can get through.

Gilbert Garza is the owner of Massey’s Gun Range, a small family owned shop.

When SpaceX has a test launch, any chance of making money is lost.

In mid-July, Highway 4 and Boca Chica Beach were closed for three days straight, making it impossible for Garza to run his business.

"A lot of people want to go see SpaceX, but because of those times that they close the road for the launching. They can't see it, which I understand is for safety issues, but they can't even go to us," he says.

Garza says typically the gun range is only closed for Christmas and New Year, but now he's closed any time SpaceX has a test launch.

He says he hopes something changes before he is out of business.

The next expected road closure is set for August 12.

Watch the video above for the full story.

More News


Radar
7 Days