TX residents react to data center vote
El Paso City Council voted 5 to 3 to uphold a controversial $550 million tax incentive deal with Meta for a new hyperscale data center, despite significant public opposition. Residents expressed concerns about the data center's impact on city resources and the environment. Mayor Reynard Johnson acknowledged the difficulty of canceling a binding agreement but pledged to hold Meta accountable.
El Paso's city council faced a large, vocal crowd after voting to maintain its contentious incentive agreement with Meta for a new, massive data center. The agreement, initially approved in 2023, grants Meta approximately $550 million in tax incentives over 10 years.
In return, Meta is required to maintain 50 jobs and an $800 million investment. The facility is expected to become one of Texas's largest data center campuses. After nearly 200 public comments, predominantly advocating for the agreement's cancellation, the council voted 5 to 3 to proceed with the deal.
El Paso Mayor Reynard Johnson stated that legal experts advised the council on the difficulty of breaking a binding agreement, adding that the city would still hold Meta accountable. Community members raised alarms regarding the hyperscale data center's potential impact on the city's resources and environment. Conversely, proponents highlighted the data center's job creation potential, while Johnson and council members also warned that canceling the deal could expose taxpayers to risks.