(This article was revised to add video.)
The proposed data center in Fort Meade has emerged as a possible issue in Florida’s gubernatorial election.
James Fishback, a Republican candidate for governor, took his turn at a microphone Jan. 29 during a town hall in Fort Meade, as representatives of the developer fielded questions about the project.
Fishback aggressively peppered Douglas M. Firstenberg, a principal for Stonebridge, with a series of questions.
“Do you live next to an AI data center, yes or no?” Fishback began.
He asked whether Firstenberg would guarantee that Fort Meade residents will not pay higher electricity rates “because of your silly data center.”
Fishback then asked whether Stonebridge is willing to provide a $500 million surety bond, so that if it breaks any promises, each Fort Meade resident would receive $100,000.
Without hesitation, Firstenberg answered, “No.”
Fishback followed up, asking whether Firstenberg could promise that the ultimate operator of the data center will not be a Chinese company. Amid the murmuring of audience members, it was not clear whether Firstenberg answered.
Grabbing the microphone and turning to the audience, Fishback exclaimed, “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to be very clear: This entire fancy presentation can be summed up in three words: ‘Trust me, bro.’ We are not going to trust you, with all due respect, not with our lives and not with this community.”
An audience member called out to Fishback, asking if he lives in Fort Meade. The candidate said he is not a resident and that he drove four hours to attend the town hall.
Fishback declared that if elected, he would sign an executive order to ban the Fort Meade data center. It is not clear whether a governor would have that authority.
Fishback then left the auditorium at Fort Meade Middle-Senior High School and offered a brief campaign speech in the lobby, as some residents listened and then posed with him for photos.
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Governor candidate pledges opposition to Polk County data center
Reporting by Gary White, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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