Town hall on proposed data center in Big Beaver draws in large crowd
A town hall event regarding Switch's proposed 382-acre data center campus in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, drew a significant crowd of concerned residents. While the private event, guarded by police, restricted media access, residents expressed opposition to the project's impact on society, the environment, and local businesses.
A large crowd gathered for a town hall meeting in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, to discuss a proposed 382-acre data center campus by Las Vegas-based company Switch. Despite the event being private and guarded by police, with media outlets like Pittsburgh's Action News 4 denied entry, neighbors waited outside after the venue reached capacity.
Residents like Aaron Zajac of Beaver Falls commented on the strong community interest. Inside, a live stream shared to social media revealed Switch's plans for three identical buildings, with less than half of the campus acreage to be developed. The proposed site is the former Pitt Race racetrack, which closed recently amid community pushback. Residents such as Theo Reddinger of Beaver County expressed concerns about the project's potential negative impact on society and the environment.
Switch claims the data center will not be visible or audible to the public and will generate millions in tax revenue, a significant increase from the $11,000 Pitt Race brought in last year. However, Beaver County resident Ekeni Abakah, who lamented the loss of Pitt Race for the car community and local businesses, questioned the tax benefits for taxpayers. Switch did not provide media availability after the event.