‘Project Tango’ data center faces Palm Beach school board pushback over proximity to elementary
The Palm Beach County School Board is pushing back against "Project Tango," a proposed $2.6 billion AI data center in Loxahatchee, due to its proximity to Saddle View Elementary. They voted to request county commissioners pause the project and review its impact on students and staff, citing concerns about noise, electricity, water, and environmental effects. A decision by county commissioners is expected on July 15.
The Palm Beach County School Board has formally pushed back against a proposed $2.6 billion AI data center, known as "Project Tango," citing concerns about its proximity to Saddle View Elementary in Loxahatchee. The board voted to send a letter to county commissioners, requesting a pause on the project's advancement until a comprehensive review of its potential effects on students and staff is conducted.
The proposed facility, covering nearly 200 acres and featuring 4 million square feet of buildings in western Palm Beach County, was originally approved a decade ago as a standard data center but is now planned as a hyperscale AI facility. Palm Beach Aggregates Holdings owns the land. Board members, including Marcia Andrews, who represents District 6, expressed strong opposition, calling the proximity to the school a "disgrace" and highlighting concerns about noise, power consumption, water supply, and overall environmental impact on the community.
While some board members, like Karen Brill, emphasized the need for more information about "unintended consequences" rather than outright rejection, others, like Virginia Savietto, cautioned against premature opposition. Residents have also actively protested the project, and the Classroom Teachers Association urged officials to establish buffer zones between industrial data centers and schools. County commissioners previously postponed a decision on the project in December after significant public comment and are now scheduled to vote on July 15.