Denton and Hood County Leaders Discuss Data Center Development
Leaders and residents in Hood County and Denton are debating the rapid expansion of data centers in North Texas. Hood County officials considered permits for three Sailfish Investors facilities amid strong opposition, while Denton is considering a temporary moratorium pending reviews of power and water capacity.
Hood County Commissioners Court considered permits for three data center facilities proposed by Sailfish Investors, including two sites along FM 51 and a roughly 2,000-acre site near the Paluxy River and Dinosaur Valley State Park. Residents spoke against the projects, while Sailfish founder Ryan Hughes said the company had offered a settlement to avoid unnecessary litigation.
In Denton, city officials held a work session on a proposed data center moratorium and reviewed findings on whether the city could accommodate additional facilities without overcommitting future power and water capacity. Public hearings are scheduled before the City Council considers the ordinance. Separately, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa called for a pause on new Texas data centers, greater transparency around developer tax incentives and requirements that developers fund infrastructure, while Gov. Greg Abbott has said the state is pursuing power and water audits and has paused some permit approvals.