THE AMAZING RACE TO ST. CROIX: Larry Page vs. Elon Musk and the Battle for the 18th Parallel
By JOHN McCARTHY / St. Croix Sun Investigative Reporter
The world’s most expensive rivalry recently moved from the private dining rooms of Napa Valley to a federal courtroom in Oakland, California. In a dramatic "Direct-to-Docket" moment, Elon Musk took the stand in late April 2026 to recount a 2015 dinner with Larry Page that effectively launched the modern AI arms race. Musk testified under oath that when he raised concerns about AI safety, Page dismissed him as a "speciesist" for favoring human survival over digital superintelligence—a jab Musk described as the "last straw" that led to the founding of OpenAI.
While they argue over the "speciesist" label and the soul of AI in court, a different kind of race is playing out in the geography of the Caribbean:
Larry Page's Record Surge: Google co-founder Larry Page recently became only the third person in history to cross the $300 billion mark after his wealth surged by $76 billion in a single month. His total net worth now stands at approximately $313 billion.
The "U.S. Virgin Island Properties" Flag: Page quietly acquired Cayo Norte, a $32 million private island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Most tellingly for St. Croix residents, Page executed this purchase through an LLC specifically named "U.S. Virgin Island Properties".
Musk's Valuation Volatility: While Musk remains the world's richest man at $782 billion, he was the only billionaire in the top ten to lose wealth recently, dropping $35 billion following a revised corporate filing in Alaska.
The SpaceXAI Factor: On May 6, 2026, Musk officially folded his AI company, xAI, into SpaceX to create a new SpaceXAI division. This move integrates the Grok chatbot and the social network X directly into the aerospace giant's structure.
The competition to "discover" the USVI’s legacy tax benefits and establish the first true 18th Parallel tech hub is heating up. While Uncle Elon is currently navigating the geopolitical landscape in China, his oldest rival has already planted a flag—and a company name—right on our doorstep.
The question remains: who will be the first to fully "pick up stakes" and realize that the future of AI and aerospace belongs in a territory where the weather is hot, the taxes are low, and the "speciesist" arguments of Silicon Valley feel a world away?
Planting A Flag In The Sand
The USVI LLC Connection: Larry Page acquired Cayo Norte—a pristine 300-acre private island located just 12 nautical miles west of St. Thomas—for $32 million in 2018. Crucially, the transaction was not executed through a Puerto Rican entity; he purchased the property through U.S. Virgin Island Properties, LLC.
The Geographic "Shell": While Cayo Norte is technically part of the Culebra municipality in Puerto Rico, Page’s deliberate choice to anchor ownership in a USVI-named LLC creates a strategic bridge. It suggests he views the 18th Parallel as a unified economic territory rather than a series of isolated dots on a map.
The "1,000-Year Legacy": This is the "Main Event" motive. For Musk, St. Croix represents a logistical silo for the multi-planetary bridge. For Page, his collection of islands (including Eustatia in the BVI and Cayo Norte) represents a "transhumanist" retreat where the "Speciesist" debate is not just a trial transcript, but a blueprint for a post-human future.
The Scoreboard (Final Tally: May 13, 2026)
Elon Musk: $827.7 Billion (+$8.5B gain recorded yesterday).
Larry Page: $326.9 Billion (+$11.9B gain recorded yesterday).
Starship V3: The debut orbital flight of the full V3 architecture is officially targeted for liftoff at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 19, 2026—T-minus 5 days and counting.
