Town hall on proposed data center in Big Beaver Borough draws in large crowd
A town hall meeting in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, concerning a proposed 382-acre data center by Switch, attracted a large crowd of residents. The community expressed significant opposition to the project due to environmental and financial concerns, and media was excluded from the event.
A town hall meeting was held in Big Beaver Borough, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, to discuss a proposed 382-acre data center campus. The event, hosted by Switch, the Las Vegas-based company behind the project, took place at the Big Beaver Borough Fire Hall and drew a large, packed crowd of residents eager to voice their concerns. Media outlets, including Pittsburgh's Action News 4, were not permitted inside the private event.
Residents expressed strong opposition to the data center, which is planned for the former Pitt Race complex. One attendee shared a live stream to social media, during which a man stated he believes the data center would be a "net negative, both on society and for the environment." While Switch representatives claimed the campus, consisting of three identical buildings, would not be visible to the public and would generate millions in tax revenue compared to the $11,000 previously brought in by Pitt Race, community members remained unconvinced. Some residents voiced skepticism about the project's benefits, stating, "This county has been screwed over time and time again by all kinds of industries." They affirmed their desire to prevent the data center from being built, stating, "We don't want them here."