AI Data Center Rejected at City Hall

Article By: Candace Obi, Student Intern | BCS Chronicle

What You Need To Know:

• The College Station City Council voted unanimously on Thursday, September 11th to reject the sale of city-owned land to Priority Power Management for a proposed AI data center.

• The College Station City Council chambers hosted a full house as residents turned out in droves to voice their opposition to Priority Power Management’s proposed AI data center.

• College Station residents voiced their concerns about the data center, citing issues such as the location being in close proximity to vulnerable communities and lack of clear benefit to the city’s commercial advancement.

• Councilman William Wright emphasized the importance of local civic engagement and encouraged citizens in attendance to stay up-to-date and involved in city affairs.

The College Station City Council voted unanimously on Thursday, September 11th to reject the sale of city-owned land to Priority Power Management (PPM) for a proposed AI data center. This decision followed hours of testimony from residents who described how the project threatened their neighborhoods and quality of life.

College Station residents turned out in full force and, by 5:30 p.m., the council chambers were jam packed, with overflow crowds seated outside and in nearby rooms. More than 75 residents signed up to speak with about 150 residents addressing the council. Additionally, a petition opposing the facility had gathered over 5,000 signatures by the time of the meeting.

One resident framed the project as too risky for its location next to The Langford Assisted Living Center, Pebble Creek Elementary School, and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center. 

“These places care for the most vulnerable in our community,” said the resident, addressing the council. Her statement drew copious amounts of applause from the chamber, strengthening the argument against the proposed data center location.

Other attendees focused on everyday impacts that hit close to home with nearby residents. “I have a hypersensitive autistic son,” said a resident. “The constant hum would harm his health.”

The proposed contract included a $30 million land purchase, separate power and water agreements, and a required sound study. 

Priority Power CEO Brandon Schwertner described himself as a former Texas A&M Aggie graduate and tried to reassure residents that the data center would not pose any hard to residents.

“My blood bleeds maroon,” Schwertner said. “If I would ever sign up to do something that harms the city–I wouldn’t.”

His comment drew jeers from the crowd and, when the livestream briefly glitched, one resident shouted the word “Power!” prompting mocking laughs from those in attendance. 

When asked about potential benefits of the project, Schwertner argued that data centers could be a better fit than other developments.

“The facilities are dense, economically impactful, and the proximity to the university could incur life science departments built all over the area conducting important research,” said Schwertner.

One resident spoke of the city’s abandonment of the original vision for College Station Midtown and criticized the project.

“This isn’t beneficial to College Station’s workforce or the commercial growth we were promised,”  he said. “We were promised walkable communities, shops, and restaurants. If you sign this contract, you’re selling out our long-term vision for short-term gain.”

Some residents also called for answers on a perceived lack of transparency throughout the process.  

Discussions over the center first began when Priority Power made contact with the city on October 7, 2024. A non disclosure agreement was executed on November 12, 2024, and the project was presented to the City Council on November 14, 2024, according to PPM. Since that time, discussions continued with the developer, the city council, and the Economic Development Committee, establishing general terms which then put the land sale on the City Council agenda to discuss. 

Residents claim they were given three to four days to respond instead of the standard seven.

Councilman David White acknowledged the backlash and apologized for how the proposal was handled. 

“It’s not right that we put y’all in this position,” White said. “My decision is based on your health, your home value, whether you can walk your dog on the trails or have coffee on your porch. We will absolutely deny this and take it off our radar.”

Councilman Bob Yancy, an Aggie alum who has lived in College Station for three decades, said he took time to reflected on the process and the community’s role in it. 

“I didn’t quite see the gravity at first because I had thought a lot of the negatives would be possible to mitigate and I was wrong,” Yancy said. “The system has worked in a way that’s best for all of us. I’m very willing to decide with y’all as my citizenry.”

The council voted unanimously after nearly six hours, and the final vote drew cheers from the crowd.

Looking forward, Councilman William Wright emphasized the importance of local civic engagement and encouraged those in attendance to stay up-to-date and involved in city affairs. 

“I’m a policy nerd and I grew up here,” Wright said. “I wish this sort of engagement existed frequently because we do so many things nobody cares about. Sign up for committees, get involved because citizen engagement is worthwhile.”