560-acre data center approved in Bartow County despite residents' concerns

A sprawling, billion-dollar data center planned for Bartow County is facing pushback from residents concerned about how the massive development could affect their community. The project received approval for a site off State Route 293 near Kingston. How big will the Bartow County data center be? The project calls for clearing a 560-acre site to make way for a 350,000-square-foot computing facility. Some residents oppose the project, citing concerns commonly associated with data centers, including environmental impacts, water consumption, electricity costs and noise. Why does Kingston support the data center? The city, which has a population of just over 700, says it needs the tax revenue. According to the developer's website, the project would generate a minimum of $2 million annually in taxes and fees, about twice the city's budget. The developer says that revenue could support property tax relief, infrastructure improvements and other community benefits. The development is also expected to generate construction jobs and between 50 and 100 high-paying permanent positions. While some residents see an economic opportunity, others say the potential benefits don't outweigh their concerns about bringing another data center to Georgia. READ MORE: https://2wsb.tv/47XUuXg In this report: Why some Bartow County residents oppose the billion-dollar data center How large the proposed data center would be Why Kingston leaders see the project as an economic opportunity How much tax revenue the developer says the project could generate Concerns about water, electricity, noise and environmental impacts How many permanent jobs the project is expected to create What happens next with the development SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/channel2actionnews?app=desktop\&sub\_confirmation=1 ABOUT WSB-TV CHANNEL 2 ACTION NEWS: WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News is your home for breaking news, live video, traffic, weather, and your guide to everything local for Atlanta and North Georgia. CONNECT WITH WSB-TV: Visit the WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News WEBSITE: https://www.wsbtv.com Like WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/wsbtv Follow WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/wsbtv Follow WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wsbtv