Largest proposed data center in Arizona to be scaled back 80% after opposition
The proposed La Osa data center and energy campus in Pinal County, Arizona, will be scaled back by 80% from its original plan of 59 data centers to 11, following significant opposition from local residents. The Pinal County Board of Supervisors postponed a decision on Vermaland's rezoning and site planning request until August 2026, requesting more specific details about the reduced project. Concerns were raised about energy demand and the potential impact on power bills.
The La Osa data center and energy campus, initially slated to be Arizona's largest data center project, will be significantly reduced by approximately 80% due to strong opposition from Pinal County residents. Developer Vermaland originally proposed a 3,300-acre site near Eloy featuring 59 data centers, two natural gas facilities, and a battery energy storage system.
During a public hearing, La Osa's attorney Court Rich announced the owner's decision to scale back the project to 11 data centers, limiting its energy demand to 1 gigawatt. This reduction comes after the Pinal County Board of Supervisors received about 60 comments and 50 emails, all in opposition. Supervisor Rich Vitiello voiced concerns about the construction timelines for energy facilities and the potential for increased power bills for constituents.
Vivek Bharathan, a speaker from Tucson, shared a cautionary tale from Pima County, where the Board of Supervisors sold land to a data center developer despite resident opposition, leading to alleged unlawful water use. Following discussions on the extension length, the Pinal County Board decided to revisit Vermaland's application at a public hearing on August 26, 2026, with Supervisor Vitiello abstaining due to insufficient time to address public concerns.
The project's postponement and significant reduction highlight the impact of community opposition on large-scale data center developments in Arizona.