A large crowd packed Monday's Gibson County Commission meeting to speak out against a proposed data center near Milan, even though the request that sparked the concern had already been pulled.
The proposal called for rezoning about six acres near Hughes Loop Road in Milan from agricultural to industrial use so a data center could be built there, WBBJ reported. The property owners withdrew the rezoning request on Oct. 26, so commissioners did not take a vote Monday. They did, however, hear from residents who came to the meeting.
"We're going to fight it until the end," said Gibson County resident Brent Cox, who lives within two miles of the property that was considered.
Cox said he does not believe data centers bring economic benefits to the communities around them. "They have shown no economic benefit whatsoever," he said. He also raised concerns about the site's closeness to two schools and about environmental effects. "We need to protect the children and protect mother earth. That is the key," Cox said.
Another person at the meeting questioned the job numbers such projects bring. "If we're going to get some jobs, these data centers are not going to have the jobs. There are going to be very few," the attendee said.
Gibson County Economic Development Director Kingsley Brock responded to the community's concerns and argued that data centers can bring significant revenue to a county. He gave one example of what that money could pay for. "You want a new welding program in your school, well the school system would get $590,000," Brock said.
For now, the rezoning request is off the table. It is unclear whether the county still plans to pursue a data center at another time or location.
Data centers have become a growing topic of debate in rural communities across the country as tech companies look for land and power to run them.
Sources: WBBJ; Gibson County Commission meeting