Baltimore Ravens turn down collaboration with Elon Musk's tunnel company

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said he was unaware that the Ravens entered a contest called the "Tunnel Vision Challenge," started by Elon Musk's tunnel company.

A project called "Ravens Loop" was one of three picked by Musk's company, The Boring Company, as a potential site for a tunnel construction project, which would have been paid for by the company.

The Ravens confirmed they turned down the collaboration efforts. Mayor Scott said he would not have approved of the project in Baltimore.

"Quite frankly, they couldn't have done it without my approval or the governor's approval," Scott said. "I can only speak for myself; it is not something that would have been approved."

The Ravens told WJZ that they appreciated being selected, but "the concept is only in the exploratory phase, and following discussions with public partners, we have determined we will not continue with the process at this time."

What's the "Tunnel Vision Challenge?"

In January, the Boring Company asked for proposals for a tunnel project up to a mile in length with a 12-foot inner diameter. According to the company, the tunnel can be a Loop tunnel, a freight tunnel, a pedestrian tunnel, a utility tunnel, a water tunnel, or any other use case where a tunnel would be useful. 

The Boring Company selected winners based on these criteria:

• Usefulness: How big a problem does this solve? If it is a Loop tunnel, how much time is saved per rider and in aggregate? If it is a freight tunnel, how much time is saved per container and in aggregate?
• Stakeholder Engagement: Level of support and enthusiasm from relevant stakeholders (provide letters/statements of support).
• Technical, Economic, and Regulatory Feasibility: Must be physically reasonable to build, within The Boring Company's standard per-mile tunneling costs, and be able to be permitted in a reasonable amount of time.

"The Boring Company identified Baltimore as a potential site through its Tunnel Vision Challenge, presenting a possibly compelling opportunity for the region," the Ravens stated. "We are grateful for the collaboration and remain supportive of initiatives that drive innovation and investment in Baltimore."

The Boring Company posted on social media on Wednesday that "Ravens Loop," "After initial meetings, this project unfortunately will not be moving forward as part of the competition."

What happens next?

The Boring Company and the project stakeholders will go through a diligence process, which includes meetings with elected officials, regulators, community leaders, and business leaders; Geotechnical borings; and Utility and subsurface infra investigation.

Once the diligence process, which is completely funded by The Boring Company, is finished, if the winning projects are deemed feasible, the construction will begin.