Fort Meade residents protest proposed data center, developers respond to questions

Residents of Fort Meade, Florida are protesting a proposed data center development that would span over 1,100 acres and include eight 4.4 million-square-foot buildings. The project, presented by developer Stonebridge, would create 3,960 construction jobs peaking in 2028 and 456 operational jobs by 2031. However, locals are concerned about the data center's high water and power usage, as well as the potential impact on their small, rural community. While the developer representatives claim they will follow regulations and use a closed-loop water system, the residents remain skeptical and have voiced strong opposition to the plan.