Little Rock residents protest private Google data center meeting at First Methodist Church
Residents in Little Rock, Arkansas, protested a private meeting concerning Google's proposed billion-dollar data center project, demanding more transparency. The City of Little Rock, which recently passed data center regulations, did not attend the meeting. Google stated the meeting was to hear from the immediate community and committed to more public conversations.
Little Rock residents gathered outside First United Methodist Church to protest a private meeting regarding Google's proposed data center, expressing frustration over a lack of transparency. Adie Diaz, a resident, voiced disappointment that only selected residents and stakeholders were invited, feeling excluded from important discussions.
The proposed Google data center, expected to draw around 100 megawatts of power, would be located near Sweet Home and the Port of Little Rock. While the project has support from the Little Rock Regional Chamber, which stated it has worked diligently with utility partners and project representatives, the Chamber was not present at the private meeting. The City of Little Rock, despite recently passing data center regulations, also did not attend.
Protesters called for local leaders to play a greater role in representing the public's interests. KATV sought clarification from Google regarding the private nature of the meeting, attendee selection, and who was involved. Google responded, stating the meeting aimed to hear directly from the immediate community and ensure varying neighborhood perspectives were at the table, promising more public conversations in the future.