Fort Meade, Florida city commissioners unanimously approved a 20-year development agreement for a proposed 1,300-acre data center campus, allowing Maryland-based developer Stonebridge to move the project forward despite strong public opposition. The campus is planned to include eight buildings, with groundbreaking targeted by the end of this year and operations expected to begin in 2028. The project follows earlier approvals, including rezoning for up to 4.4 million square feet of development and a $150 million, 10-year tax break tied to more than $2.6 billion in planned real estate and equipment investment.
A central issue in the debate was water use. Under the agreement, the city will reserve 50,000 gallons of potable water per day for the project, down from Stonebridge’s original request of 150,000 gallons, with the developer saying that supply will mainly serve restrooms and kitchens rather than cooling. Stonebridge says it will rely on a closed-loop system to recycle water for cooling and is required to fund up to $300,000 toward additional water rights, while also covering the cost of public water, wastewater, and roadway infrastructure. Residents remained skeptical, raising concerns about whether the facility’s actual water and power demands could outstrip the city’s limits despite promised meters and enforcement mechanisms…