FORT MEADE — After months of discussion and countless words spoken, the proposed Fort Meade data center advanced with just five additional words: “Ayes” from the five City Commission members.
The City Commission voted unanimously at its April 14 meeting to approve a 20-year development agreement with Stonebridge, the Maryland company seeking to build a 4.4-million-square-foot data center in the city. It would be the first “hyperscale” data center in Florida.
But a letter the city received just hours before the vote raised questions about whether the Southwest Florida Water Management District will give permission for the city to supply the data center the requested 50,000 gallons of water a day…