Data center to Temple approved by the city council

Name: Data center to Temple approved by the city council
Uploaded: 2026-04-18T21:15:03.000Z
Duration: 1 min 41 s
Description: The Temple City Council approved the rezoning and annexation for a Rowan Digital Infrastructure data center project despite significant public opposition. Residents expressed concerns about water usage and job creation, with some calling for the recall of Mayor Tim Davis and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Pilkington.

News Clip1:41KCENNews·Temple, Bell County, TX·4/18/2026

The Temple City Council approved the rezoning and annexation for a Rowan Digital Infrastructure data center project despite significant public opposition. Residents expressed concerns about water usage and job creation, with some calling for the recall of Mayor Tim Davis and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Pilkington.

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Gov: Temple City Council, Mayor Tim Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Pilkington

The Temple City Council has approved the necessary steps for Rowan Digital Infrastructure to establish a $700 million data center campus in the city. This includes an ordinance for land annexation and rezoning, effectively approving the site for data center development.

The decision was met with considerable public opposition during the council meeting, with many residents expressing concerns about the data center's water consumption and its actual impact on local job creation. Temple Mayor Tim Davis allowed public comments but concluded them just before midnight.

Following the vote, which passed with one abstention, community members have voiced their dissatisfaction and formed a Facebook group called "Stop Temple Data Centers." This group is actively seeking the recall of Mayor Pro Tem Mike Pilkington and Mayor Tim Davis. The development in Temple is part of a broader trend of data center expansion across Central Texas and the state, which has also faced pushback in other areas like Lacy Lakeview.