A Done Deal, But Not a Settled Conversation.

By the time many residents gathered at Rolling Hills Elementary on Tuesday night—filling the room to standing-room only—the biggest decision had already been made.

Of course, the data center planned near the I-20 and RM 2871 corridor is moving forward. Construction has already begun.

However, the upcoming Fort Worth City Council vote on March 31 is not about whether the data center project happens, but whether the city approves a roughly $30 million tax abatement tied to it.

That distinction changed the tone of the room, as did other comments throughout the 2-hour-plus meeting.

What residents, including those from nearby Aledo and Benbrook, had hoped would be a conversation about whether this data center project should move forward became something else entirely.

It became a conversation about what the community is getting in return, what protections are in place, and whether the process should have included more public input much earlier.

Taylor Baird (Partner of PMB Capital), John Callahan (Chief Investment Officer of Edged Data Center), Fort Worth City Councilman Michael Crain, and a slew of other city and project representatives explained that the project sits in an area long designated for industrial use and has already cleared multiple planning and utility requirements.

Baird emphasized that they have spent years and millions upon millions of dollars since 2014 assembling the land and chose an Edged Data Center operator in part because of its alignment with similar values and its focus on energy efficiency and water-conscious technology.

Still, for many in the room, those answers felt incomplete, to say the least.

Nonetheless, questions about precise water usage, long-term power demand, and the cumulative impact of multiple nearby data centers remain difficult to pin down.

Residents also raised concerns about how noise levels were evaluated, especially since the facility is not yet operational. Claims that sound levels would be minimal or equivalent to “a whisper” were met with skepticism.

Then there is the broader context.

The City of Fort Worth is currently navigating budget constraints, including a hiring freeze, while also asking voters to consider a pay increase for elected officials in the upcoming May election.

At the same time, major infrastructure needs, including a long-discussed bridge over the railroad on RM 2871, carry price tags in the tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions.

For some residents, the question is not just about the data center itself, but about priorities.

Why offer incentives now? Why not finalize infrastructure first? Why were nearby communities not more directly included when this area was designated for industrial use years ago?

Even among those who accept that the project is moving forward, there is a shared sense that the conversation is not over.

Because while the building may be inevitable, trust, transparency, and accountability are still very much up for discussion.

Residents looking to follow updates or get involved can visit https://2871community.org or reach out at info@2871community.org.