Spalding County Data Center Proposal Withdrawn, Others Stalled Due to Strict Ordinances
Spalding County has seen the withdrawal of the 75 South Data Center Campus proposal, while three other previously approved data center projects show no progress. Strict local ordinances, including requirements for closed-loop water systems, have deterred developers from building in the county, according to Commissioner James Dutton. The county had previously enacted a moratorium to develop these stringent regulations.
The 75 South Data Center Campus proposal in Spalding County, Georgia, has been withdrawn by its developers, who have indicated no plans to return, according to county zoning attorney Newton Galloway. This follows the county's approval of three other data center campuses in 2025 and early 2026, none of which have seen any construction progress or permit applications, as confirmed by Community Development Director Touissant Kirk.
District 1 Commissioner James Dutton attributes the lack of data center development to the county's proactive approach in establishing stringent ordinances. Dutton stated that a moratorium was enacted to allow for extensive research and stakeholder consultation, leading to "incredible rules" that include requirements for closed-loop water systems, limiting usage to an estimated 25,000 gallons per day, significantly less than the 5 million gallons per day used by some other facilities in the region.
Dutton acknowledged that these high standards, coupled with a lack of tax incentives compared to neighboring counties like Butts County, have made Spalding County less attractive to data center developers. Despite the stalled projects, the county had approved sites for Montana Property Group LLC and Spalding Investments, LLC, with projected build-outs by 2030 and significant estimated tax revenues, but these plans are currently on hold due to the challenging regulatory environment.