Conway Residents Voice Concerns Over Proposed Data Center 'Project Stratus'

Name: Conway Residents Voice Concerns Over Proposed Data Center 'Project Stratus'
Uploaded: 2026-05-14T03:54:01.000Z
Duration: 2 min 58 s
Description: Conway residents have voiced significant concerns over 'Project Stratus', a proposed data center development, at a recent city council meeting. Key issues include potential impacts on noise, water, and power. Despite public opposition, the City of Conway has taken steps to facilitate the project by updating zoning codes and rezoning property.

News Clip2:58KATVchannel7·Conway, Faulkner County, AR·5/14/2026

Conway residents have voiced significant concerns over 'Project Stratus', a proposed data center development, at a recent city council meeting. Key issues include potential impacts on noise, water, and power. Despite public opposition, the City of Conway has taken steps to facilitate the project by updating zoning codes and rezoning property.

zoningoppositionenvironmentalgovernmentelectricitywater

Gov: Conway City Council, City of Conway, Conway Planning Commission, Arkansas State Government

A public meeting in Conway, Arkansas, saw a large turnout of residents expressing concerns about a proposed data center development known as 'Project Stratus'. Residents raised objections regarding potential impacts on noise levels, water resources, and local power infrastructure. 

Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry clarified that the project is not yet a done deal and its next steps would be measured in quarters and years. However, documents released by the City of Conway indicate that steps have been taken to accommodate the proposal. These include the City Council setting restrictions on noise levels for data centers in July 2023, and later updating Conway's zoning code to define permissible locations for such facilities. 

Additionally, the city annexed and rezoned acres of the proposed property through the Planning Commission and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the unnamed developer, though one resident identified 'Ford's Life Ventures' as potentially involved. The project remains in its early stages.