Foote: A Jackson data center - Threat or opportunity?

The Charleston Sun-Sentinel published an opinion column by Jackson City Councilman Ashby Foote, addressing the contentious topic of a proposed artificial intelligence data center in Jackson, Mississippi. Foote noted that a developer is exploring building an AI data center in west Jackson, a prospect that has already drawn significant protests, including opponents traveling three hours to voice "dire warnings" at a City Council meeting.

Foote’s column aims to foster a "calm and rational discussion" about the project, emphasizing its potential economic benefits despite public concerns. He addressed the two primary worries: electricity and water usage. For electricity, he stated the proposed data center would use natural gas-powered reciprocating engines with no connection to the local grid, thus not impacting local electricity rates or availability. Regarding water, Foote pointed out that Jackson's water supply comes from the Ross Barnett Reservoir, a vast source continually fed by the Pearl River basin, and that the city's water plants have ample capacity. He suggested a data center, as a high-volume water customer paying its bills, could help alleviate the city's financial woes related to its water system.

Furthermore, Foote highlighted the substantial ad valorem tax revenue such a large-footprint AI data center could generate for the state, county, municipality, and school districts. He cited Amazon's data center investment in Madison County as an example, projecting tens of millions in annual tax receipts, which he argued could significantly benefit Jackson's city budget.