Lowndes Co. Commission approves controversial data center project

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

The Lowndes County Commission approves a deal that will bring a controversial AI data center to the county.

The commission passed the resolution approving the data center deal with a 3 to 2 vote.

The deal included a 50-50 abatement of all ad valorem and construction taxes.

Commission Chairman Charlie King, Jr. says the data center will bring $2.8 billion dollars into the county over the next 20 years.

“It’s a win-win situation for Lowndes County all the way around. In my terms I use, it’s just a cash cow,” said King.

Residents who live near the proposed site for the data center have been very vocal about their feelings toward the project.

They’ve waged a public awareness campaign against the project for several months.

“We feel like its going to destroy our community. We’re going to have a massive billion dollar industrial site located in the middle of what has been a quiet rural residential area of farms,” said Adrian Johnson.

“Nobody lives in Lowndes County because they want to live next to a billion dollar industrial site.”

King says county services, infrastructure and schools will all benefit from the revenue the project will bring into the county.

The project is also expected to create between 50 and 225 permanent full time jobs.