Vantage hosts open house for proposed data center in southern Wyoming
Vantage Data Centers held an open house for its proposed 480-megawatt to 1-gigawatt data center campus in Laramie County, Wyoming. The project, estimated at $4.8-$9.6 billion, is facing concerns from residents and a City Councilman regarding noise, water usage, and development impact. The company expects to begin the permit approval process in late 2026, with a zoning board appearance potentially within weeks.
Vantage Data Centers hosted an open house in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to discuss its proposed 1,800-acre data center campus in Laramie County, located 12 miles south of Cheyenne. The project, projected to be between 480 megawatts and one gigawatt, involves an estimated investment of $4.8 to $9.6 billion and is currently in the planning and design phases. Vantage anticipates starting the permit approval process in late 2026 and potentially appearing before the zoning board within the next one to two weeks.
Misty Allen, Vantage’s vice president of public policy for North America, addressed environmental and cost concerns. She stated that Vantage would cover the costs to build and connect to Black Hills Energy, ensuring no expenses fall on Wyoming's residential or small business electricity customers. Allen also detailed plans for a closed-loop refrigerant cooling system to minimize water usage, supplemented by outside air.
Despite Vantage's efforts to engage the community and highlight the creation of 2,000-4,500 construction jobs and at least 20 permanent positions, local residents and officials expressed significant apprehension. Thomas White, a resident living near the proposed site, voiced concerns about noise and water usage. City Councilman Larry Wolfe, who attended the open house, raised broader concerns about the substantial impact of multiple large-scale energy and data center projects, including Vantage's, on the rural character and quality of life for Laramie County residents.