A.I. NEXT DOOR: The cost of living next to a data center
Abilene, Texas, is preparing for Stargate, an 800-plus-acre artificial intelligence data center campus expected to be among the largest in the country. Residents are concerned about increased traffic, road safety and the rising cost of living, while Mayor Hurt says the development will generate tax revenue and benefit the city over the long term.
An 800-plus-acre Stargate artificial intelligence data center campus is being developed in Abilene and could become one of the largest AI data centers in the country. WTOC reporter Steven Glover traveled to the city to examine how residents are experiencing the project and its construction impacts.
Residents cited sharply increased traffic and crowded roads as major concerns, with some comparing conditions to Dallas traffic. Abilene Mayor Hurt acknowledged the frustration caused by construction and congestion but described the disruption as the price of progress, pointing to increased tax revenue that he said would benefit the city over time.