$19 million tax break granted to future data center in Parker

Douglas County commissioners have approved a significant $19 million tax break for a new Flex Central data center project in Parker, Colorado. The incentive, a 100% rebate on the county's portion of business personal property taxes over 35 years, comes despite strong opposition from local residents. The data center, which will span nearly 250,000 square feet and is expected to open in 2027, has already received approval from the Parker Town Council.

Neighbors expressed concerns about the facility's potential impact, including its water usage, noise, and pollution. Flex Central stated the data center will operate on a closed-loop water system, using less than 600,000 gallons of water annually. Critics also questioned the economic benefits, noting that the $19 million tax break would facilitate only 16 new jobs.

During Tuesday's meeting, all public commenters opposed the tax incentive, arguing that businesses of this scale should not require public subsidies. However, county commissioners justified the tax break by criticizing the business personal property tax as "immoral" and "regressive," stating their willingness to credit 100% of these taxes back to any business in the county that asks. They indicated the Town of Parker requested incentivizing Flex Central to choose the location.