How do you start a city for nearly 100,000 people with just two employees? Timothy Allen sits down with Oliver Porter in Próspera to hear how Sandy Springs, Georgia, got its own local government and hired private companies to deliver most of its services. The mayor and council still set policy and budgets. The change was in who did the work. Sandy Springs had spent decades trying to become a city. When it finally got the go-ahead, Oliver faced an unusual problem: the new government had to be ready to operate on day one, but nobody could sign a contract on its behalf until the council took office. He explains how he approached companies willing to take that risk, how the city financed its first months, and what residents noticed when the new contractors got to work. The city kept changing the model. It moved from one main contractor to several, then brought some services back in-house in 2019. Oliver argues that splitting up the original contract lost some of the benefits of running services together. Timothy asks how you would tell whether the original model still worked better, especially when the city itself had grown and changed. The conversation then moves to Próspera, where Oliver says he serves on the council. They discuss what carries over from an established Atlanta suburb to a new development in Honduras, how Próspera differs from Ciudad Morazán, and whether an experiment in governance can keep its character after the people who started it step aside. Oliver also explains why he thinks Próspera’s visitor rules can make it harder to build trust with its neighbours. In the introduction, Timothy announces that the show will become independent on 1 January 2027 as Free Cities with Timothy Allen. The RSS feed stays the same, and new videos will move to his own YouTube channel. He welcomes Blink Wallet, explains last week’s Joe Quirk roast, covers two cross-border free zone stories and Sealand’s 59th anniversary, and shares a reminder about Bitfest and Freedom Fest in Manchester. And finally: why six priests have sold out a comedy show in Sandy Springs. In this conversation: Why Sandy Springs wanted local control, especially over zoning What a contract city outsources and what elected officials still decide How Oliver found a company willing to help start a city before it could sign a contract How the city got through its first months before tax revenue came in What residents noticed about roads and traffic signals Why police and fire followed a different route What changed when Sandy Springs split up its contracts and brought services back in-house How budgets, pensions and debt complicate comparisons between cities What Oliver took from Sandy Springs to Próspera How Ciudad Morazán and Próspera approach development differently Why founders step aside and what happens to their ideas afterwards How visitor rules and media coverage affect trust in Próspera Enjoy the conversation. Timestamps (audio version, includes Timothy’s episode introduction): 0:00:30 - Introduction 0:01:08 - Blink Wallet joins the show 0:01:37 - Going independent on 1 January 2027 0:03:20 - The audio feed, new YouTube channel and where to follow 0:07:47 - Introducing Oliver Porter and Sandy Springs 0:09:13 - What the Joe Quirk roast was about 0:14:20 - Veritas Villages: the first keys in Coronado 0:15:11 - AmityAge: turning stranded gas into power in Alberta 0:17:00 - Start of conversation 0:21:44 - From Sandy Springs to Próspera 0:22:34 - How a contract city works 0:24:21 - Why Sandy Springs wanted to become a city 0:29:50 - The political fight and the deadline for opening day 0:35:10 - Finding a contractor willing to take the risk 0:42:36 - How the new city paid its bills 0:44:31 - What residents noticed about local services 0:50:53 - Why police and fire were different 0:55:58 - Why Sandy Springs brought services back in-house 0:59:26 - Municipal pensions, debt and comparing budgets 1:05:13 - How Oliver got involved with Próspera 1:10:40 - Ciudad Morazán and a different approach to development 1:13:57 - Bringing elected representatives closer to residents 1:16:21 - Could the model spread to existing American cities? 1:19:51 - What happens when the founder steps away? 1:27:28 - Próspera’s political relationships and public image 1:32:06 - Visitor rules and trust 1:33:28 - What Próspera can learn from Sandy Springs 1:36:45 - Supporting the show and staying connected Guest: Oliver Porter | The Sandy Springs contract-city model Links mentioned: Subscribe to Timothy’s new YouTube channel Follow the Free Cities Podcast on Apple Podcasts Last week’s conversation with Joe Quirk Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone: the committee’s investment update Al Mazunah Free Zone: Oman–Yemen trade forum Sealand: the story of Roy Bates and Roughs Tower Bitfest UK, Manchester, 19–22 November 2026 Freedom Fest, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester, Saturday 21 November 2026. Timothy will be speaking. Use FREECITIES when buying a separate Freedom Fest ticket. Full Bitfest tickets include Freedom Fest access. 40HPW on OnlyBoosts The Free Cities Podcast is the official podcast of the Free Cities Foundation, hosted by Timothy Allen. New episodes every Friday. Long-form, in-person conversations with the builders, investors, residents and thinkers shaping Free Cities, charter cities, special economic zones, network states, private cities and governance innovation worldwide. Listen & subscribe: freecities.fm | All platforms | Fountain (bonus episodes & early access) The Free Cities Podcast is the official podcast of the Free Cities Foundation, hosted by Timothy Allen. New episodes every Friday. Long-form, in-person conversations with the builders, investors, residents and thinkers shaping Free Cities, charter cities, special economic zones, network states, private cities and governance innovation worldwide. 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