Burkhalter data center forecast, by DABC-ordered study, to bring $1.2B investment
A proposed data center by 4AM Development LLC on Burkhalter Road in Statesboro, Georgia, is projected to bring a $1.2 billion investment. The Statesboro Planning Commission has recommended approval for a zoning change for the 27-acre parcel, with the City Council scheduled to vote on the amendment. If approved, a special use permit would still be required.
Statesboro, Georgia, is evaluating a significant data center project proposed by 4AM Development LLC, led by partners Bobby Bagwell and Charles C. Way, for a parcel on Burkhalter Road. An economic impact study, commissioned by the Development Authority of Bulloch County (DABC) and conducted by Economic Impact Group LLC, forecasts a $1.2 billion capital investment over a decade.
The project requires a zoning change for the 27-acre site from high-density residential to an "O" (office or business) district, which would permit a data center as a special use under a city ordinance enacted in June. The Statesboro Planning Commission has already voted 5-1 to recommend approval of the zoning change on August 4, advancing the proposal to the Statesboro City Council for a public hearing and final vote scheduled for August 18.
While the developers have completed studies for water use and economic impact, they have not yet secured a specific end-user or operator, such as a major artificial intelligence or information technology company, noting that such entities typically engage after zoning approvals are in place. The project is expected to create only 12 full-time jobs but generate substantial property tax revenues for the city, Bulloch County, and the Bulloch County School System. Developers Bagwell and Way, primarily residential developers, emphasized that the data center represents a less impactful alternative to the 285 housing units previously approved for the site, especially concerning traffic congestion on Burkhalter Road and a saturated local housing market.
Development Authority CEO Benjy Thompson indicated that the $1.2 billion investment would mark the largest capital project in Bulloch County's history, dwarfing previous developments like the $317 million Ajin Georgia factory. The proposed 99-megawatt facility is considerably smaller than other regional projects, such as OpenAI's larger campus in nearby Effingham County, but still signifies a new type of economic development for the area, with city staff supporting the land-use shift.