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As Kings and Tulare fairgrounds consider leasing land for data centers, communities balk
Residents in Tulare and Kings counties, California, are voicing concerns over a proposal by Global Stack LLC to lease fairground land for compact edge computing data centers. The Tulare County Fair board tabled a decision on a 100-year lease, while the Kings Fair board has not yet added the item to its agenda for discussion, indicating ongoing public opposition and review.
Residents in California's Tulare and Kings counties are expressing significant concerns regarding a proposed partnership between their respective fairgrounds and Global Stack LLC. The California-based company aims to lease two to five acres of underused fairground land to develop a network of compact, 8- to 10-megawatt, self-contained edge computing systems, approximately the size of shipping containers.
The project, described by Global Stack as essential for strengthening California’s emergency communications and resilience infrastructure, is designed to support first responders during disasters. It is explicitly stated not to be a traditional hyperscale commercial data center, and Global Stack claims its units use closed-loop cooling systems that would not consume local water once operational.
Despite these assurances, community members have largely opposed the proposals at recent fair board meetings, citing worries about future water consumption and pollution. The Tulare County Fair board met on Tuesday and opted to table a decision on a proposed 100-year lease agreement with Global Stack. The Kings Fair board, which also heard opposition, did not have the item on its Monday agenda.
Dena Rizzardo, CEO of both fairgrounds, has acknowledged the spread of misinformation and affirmed the boards' commitment to due diligence, transparency, and evaluating the environmental impact before making any decisions.