Tech leaders building city in California 'not at all' worried about public backlash or accusations of foreign ties, CEO says

A group of elite technology leaders planning to build a new city in California are "not at all" concerned about the public backlash regarding their project or accusations of foreign ties, the CEO of the proposal told the New York Post Monday.

What's the background?

An investment group, Flannery Associates, purchases 52,000 acres of land near Travis Air Force Base in Solano County. The identities of the group's backers were largely unknown, which sparked concerns that buyers with ties to China or other foreign adversaries may have acquired the land.

An August New York Times report revealed that Silicon Valley tech investors were behind the mystery purchase. According to the group's attorney, the investors acquired the land to "diversify their portfolio." The backers included Andreessen Horowitz, Laurene Powell Jobs, Michael Moritz, Reid Hoffman, Patrick and John Collison, Daniel Gross, and Nat Friedman, the Times reported.

The United States Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is still investigating the purchase, citing potential national security concerns.

The technology and finance tycoons plan to use the land to build California Forever, a walkable and sustainable city similar to Paris or New York City's West Village, Blaze News previously reported.

The moguls' investment ignited a significant amount of backlash within the community.

Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy stated in November that despite the group's grand plans for the land, no one had contacted the city to discuss the proposal. She told the Post, "A couple of the investors already are very connected with China, business-wise."

California Democratic Rep. John Garamendi slammed the group for allegedly using "strong-arm mobster techniques" to obtain the land from local farmers.

Flannery Associates has consistently maintained that it has already disclosed any foreign investor ties and "complied with all government inquiries."

"While most area electeds have taken an open-minded approach to the opportunity our project presents for local jobs, investments, homes for middle class families, and clean power, a couple of local politicians are unfortunately and irresponsibly spreading rumors and misinformation to insinuate that California Forever is a not an American company," the investment group stated.

Investors 'not at all' concerned

California Forever CEO Jan Sramek recently told the Post that Solano County residents seem receptive to the idea of building the city despite the negative publicity.

"I think you really have a situation where you've got a small but very vocal group of people who don't like the project," Sramek stated. "If you talk to the average person in the county, they are really excited about it."

Last month, Sramek told the Post that Flannery Associates "provided all of the information to CFIUS a long time ago" and that it was "frankly absurd" to suggest the group was hiding any foreign ties.

He rejected rumors that the investment group aimed to build a "utopian" city. Sramek said that California Forever "need[s] to be clear about the fact that we are not doing it."

"[When] people see the plans that we'll put forward in January, it will be very clear that it's none of that and it's very traditional, good American urbanism," Sramek told the Post. "If that's a utopia, then California is in real trouble, because that shouldn't be a utopia."

Sramek is "pretty confident" that the November ballot measure to move forward with building the city will pass but added that "there would be other ways to build the project."

The group envisions a city with short commutes, high-paying jobs, sustainable energy, and affordable living, the Post reported. It plans to release additional details about the project this month.

Moy, who hopes to block the project, believes backers will regret their investment.

"[Sramek] obviously has Silicon Valley billionaires as investors. I welcome them to come and invest right here in Fairfield, Suisan City and Solano County," Moy stated.

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