Still Active: City Issues Correction, Clarification on Proposed Data Center Status
The City of Lakeland issued a correction, stating that the "Project Swan" data center proposal is still active and under review, despite an earlier system error listing it as "withdrawn". The developer had only canceled a scheduled meeting to review city comments, and no final decisions have been made on the project's approval.
The City of Lakeland issued a clarification on June 3 regarding the "Project Swan" data center proposal, confirming that it remains an "active project under review." This statement addressed a previous error in the city's permit tracking system (IMS) which had incorrectly marked the project as "Withdrawn" after the applicant canceled a June 3 Development Review Team (DRT) meeting.
Larry Little, Lakeland's communications director, explained that the meeting cancellation was a standard procedure, allowing the developer time to review the city's 13-page response to their proposal. Little acknowledged public concerns about data centers, citing environmental impacts, and emphasized the city's commitment to transparency and educating residents about the development review process.
City staff stressed that no final decisions have been made on the project. The next steps are contingent on the applicant's decision after reviewing the DRT comments, and there is no specified deadline for their response. The city indicated it would release information as soon as it becomes available to the community.