A Data Center Company Reached Out to Rio Dell Property Owners About Building a Facility There
Developer Oppidan has contacted property owners about potentially building a data center at the Humboldt-Rio Dell Business Park near Rio Dell, California. City officials are weighing potential tax revenue and jobs against concerns about water use, flooding, road capacity, and inadequate utility infrastructure, but no formal application has been submitted.
Oppidan has reached out to several property owners at the Humboldt-Rio Dell Business Park about constructing a data center. The prospective facility’s size, power and water requirements, developer plans, and timeline remain unknown, and Rio Dell officials have not received a formal proposal.
City Manager Kyle Knopp said the project could provide tax revenue, jobs, and a customer for recycled wastewater, while acknowledging infrastructure and flooding constraints at the site. Mayor Debra Garnes and Councilmember Amanda Carter raised concerns about water availability, resource consumption, and the limited long-term employment such a facility might provide. Councilmember Robert Orr urged the city to engage with the developer rather than reject the idea before understanding the proposal. The City Council will eventually determine whether the project fits existing zoning or requires a new classification.