Murkiness of Project River's timeline concerns some city/county residents
Cleveland City Council will hold multiple community meetings to address concerns about the $11.3 billion "Project River," which includes a power plant and a potential 850-acre data center site. Residents are protesting the project due to noise concerns and incomplete impact studies, urging the city to exercise caution on rezoning and annexation requests. An AI bubble burst is also warned as a potential risk for data center investments.
Cleveland City Manager Joe Fivas announced that the Cleveland City Council will host multiple community meetings in October to address public concerns regarding the $11.3 billion "Project River." This extensive undertaking, first unveiled by Wright Brothers Construction in late August, involves the construction of a 1,000-megawatt natural gas plant, a 500-megawatt biomass energy plant designed by Azure Energy, and an additional 360-megawatt connection to the TVA grid for peak demand.
Controversy surrounds the project's 850-acre site on Lower River Road, which is earmarked for a potential data center. Bradley County residents have voiced significant opposition, primarily citing high-decibel noise emissions from data centers as a major concern. During a recent city council meeting, dozens of residents protested, holding placards and speaking out against the development. Cynthia Tanty, a resident, urged the council to delay rezoning and annexation decisions until comprehensive impact studies on traffic, noise, and water infrastructure are completed.
Adding another layer of concern, Dan Rawls, a speaker at the meeting, warned of a potential AI bubble burst, citing research from national publications. He cautioned that a collapse in the AI sector could lead to trillions in losses and an economic downturn, posing a significant risk for investments in data centers, which are critical for AI data storage and processing. Despite the widespread public concern, City Manager Fivas clarified that a City of Cleveland Planning Commission meeting scheduled for September 21 would only feature a presentation on Project River, with no actions or votes to be taken.