Billionaire-backed California Forever reels after Saronic pulls out

California Forever, the billionaire-backed plan to transform Solano County into a vast manufacturing hub and new city, took a major hit when defense contractor Saronic Technologies pulled its $3.2 billion Port Alpha shipyard project from Solano in favor of Brownsville, Texas. The setback highlights California’s bureaucratic and political hurdles, as backers push for streamlined permitting while supporters vow to salvage the venture and attract other shipbuilders, even as critics warn the state’s business climate remains a hurdle for large developments.