Stillwater's Planning Commission has voted unanimously in favor of a data center campus development in north-central Oklahoma.
The vote was based on whether the campus meets zoning requirements and would fit into the City's overall plan, reports the Stillwater News Press.
The possibility of a data center campus in Stillwater emerged earlier this month, with Mayor Will Joyce posting on Facebook on July 11 that the City was looking at a six-building development.
According to that post, the campus will have "at least one, and potentially up to six, data center facilities valued at $500 million each," bringing the total potential investment up to $3bn.
The campus would be located on 400 acres north of the former Armstrong facility, land which is owned by the State and according to Joyce, currently brings in no local tax revenue. Specifically, it is south of East Richmond Road, north of East Airport Road, east of North Perkins Road, and west of North Jardot Road.
The land is currently zoned as "General Industrial District" with the expectation of future development.
Joyce goes on to state that each data center could generate the same amount of revenue equivalent to 250 new houses valued at $300,000 each, as well as revenue generated by energy consumption and construction use taxes. The project has reportedly been under discussion since 2018.
An end-user has not yet been shared, but Joyce said that it would not be for cryptocurrency mining.
During a July 16 meeting, Deputy City Manager Brady Moore delivered a presentation to the Planning Commission laying out the project. The project is hoping to see the jurisdictions agree to form a Tax Incentive District, which can offer anywhere between zero to 100 percent property tax exemption to the developer for up to 25 years.
According to Moore, the city would receive PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) for "community betterment" alongside each phase of development.
Moore has reassured that the development will be compliant with noise regulations, though some residents are still hesitant.
Local resident Drew Gagliardi said: “Is it smoke and mirrors at the beginning? The city gets a ton of money but they don’t actually create that many jobs once they are completed. I feel like if you’re going to build 160 acres of this stuff that uses more electricity than the entire city has and we’ve got constant noise, we have to ask what’s the true benefit?
“A data center may provide construction jobs for five to 10 years, but once they’re built what do the citizens truly enjoy?"
Concerns surrounding the impact on property values were also raised. The project will be presented to the public officially at a later date.
Oklahoma in general does not have a huge data center market.
March 2024 saw plans for a 340-acre data center project in Tulsa announced, and in May 2024, Tonaquint completed an upgrade to an Oklahoma City data center which it acquired from EdgeX in 2023.
Google operates a data center campus to the east of Tulsa in Pryor, Mayes County. Announced in 2007, it launched a facility there back in 2011 and has expanded at regular intervals since.
TierPoint operates several data centers in Tulsa.
A crypto firm is planning a 200MW campus in Muskogee.
