San Angelo stands at the threshold of an unprecedented economic opportunity with the proposed data center development.
This transformative project represents a $16 billion investment in our community’s future and will become the single largest addition to our tax base in the city’s history. When fully built out, the facility will fundamentally strengthen our local economy, generating substantial long-term revenue to support essential city services, schools, public safety and infrastructure improvements that will benefit every resident for generations to come.
Some have raised concerns about resource consumption, but the facts tell a very different story. The 248,000-square-foot facility will use approximately 15,000 gallons of water per day for the entire campus for bathrooms, faucets, landscaping and such things. That is roughly equivalent to the daily usage of only seven homes, demonstrating remarkable efficiency in water management.
It only takes 15,000 gallons to initially charge the data center cooling system per building. It is also important to recognize that modern data centers are designed for extreme efficiency. These facilities convert electricity into digital productivity with minimal waste.
They operate with advanced cooling systems, intelligent load management and redundancy technologies that set global standards for energy efficiency. This project represents some of the most technologically advanced and environmentally responsible electrical usage in the world.
Modern data center design incorporates advanced efficiency technologies that maximize performance while minimizing environmental impact, making this a responsible and forward-thinking development.
Beyond the impressive statistics, this project represents San Angelo’s entry into the 21st-century economy. The data center will create dozens of high-paying technical jobs, attract related technology and support industries, and establish our city as a regional hub for digital infrastructure.
The economic ripple effects will extend to local contractors, suppliers, restaurants, hotels and service providers during both construction and ongoing operations. This is more than a building. It is a catalyst that will raise San Angelo’s profile, attract young professionals and ensure our community remains competitive and prosperous in an increasingly digital world.
At full build-out, a $16 billion data center investment would generate roughly $126 million per year in city property tax revenue alone at San Angelo’s tax rate, representing the largest single expansion of our tax base in city history.
In addition to long-term tax relief potential for residents, the project brings numerous positive community benefits. It will create hundreds of construction jobs during the building phase. It will attract secondary technology and support businesses, provide reliable long-term tax revenue with minimal demand on city services, strengthen the grid and energy infrastructure, and demonstrate environmental responsibility through efficient resource usage.
Most importantly, it positions San Angelo as a forward-looking city that welcomes innovation, investment, and opportunity.
Steve Ahlenius is the president and CEO of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Why a data center in San Angelo is a game changer | Opinion
Reporting by Steve Ahlenius, San Angelo Chamber of Commerce president and CEO / San Angelo Standard-Times
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