Fort Meade delays AI Data Center vote following massive Polk County pushback
News Clip2:31WFLA News Channel 8·Fort Meade, Polk County, FL·3/11/2026
Residents of Polk County, Florida strongly opposed a proposal for a $2.6 billion AI data center to be built in Fort Meade, citing concerns over the strain on the local electric grid, water usage, and overall impact on the community. After hours of public comment, the Fort Meade City Commission decided to change the proposal from a resolution to an ordinance, requiring multiple public readings before any vote.
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Gov: Fort Meade City Commission, Polk County
A potential vote on a proposal AI data center in Polk County will be continued to a later meeting, following hours of public comment at the Fort Meade City Commission Tuesday. Dozens of residents, as well as people living in nearby Lakeland, Bartow, Mulberry, and other areas, opposed the construction of the facility, which would take up about 2 square miles along U.S. 17.