Writer: Jordan Sprogis
Editor: Lillian Castro
Reviewer: Cristian Lopez
Key Takeaways
- A data center project is facing fierce pushback in Bessemer, where residents claim the city ignored required notifications before approving a 700-acre rezoning.
- Locals are voicing concern over environmental impact and quality-of-life disruptions; at the same time, a few public officials have signed NDAs.
The fate of a data center construction called “Project Marvel” in Bessemer, Alabama, is currently resting in the hands of the city council.
Back in March, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to rezone 700 acres from agricultural to industrial use for the $14.4 million project.
About 20 people attended the hearing and spoke against the proposal, pointing out the threats construction of the data center would present to local ecosystems and quality of life. The request went to the city council for final approval.
In April, three residents living near the proposed site filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that Bessemer didn’t properly notify the public before rezoning the land.
“They didn’t follow procedure based on what they promised under Alabama law, to give notice,” said Reginald McDaniel, the landowners’ attorney.
Shan Paden, an attorney for the City of Bessemer, said, “I would assert to you that we did, that we complied with the notice.”
Jefferson County Judge David Hobdy has ruled that everything is on hold until August 7.
If completed, the data center would span 18 buildings, likely more than 150,000 square feet each, meaning it would become one of the largest consumers of electricity in Alabama.
Behind the Data Center Debate
This isn’t the first time Bessemer has been in the spotlight.
In 2021, the National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally interfered with a union election there by installing a mailbox with anti-union messaging.
It caught the nation’s attention, with protests reaching as far as New York City. Although Amazon ultimately prevailed, it shows how far Bessemer is willing to go to defend itself.
Take a moment to listen to any of its residents’ concerns, and you’ll see it’s because life in Bessemer moves at a different pace.
Home to Alabama’s oldest restaurant, with its matching buildings lining the main avenues, the city is reminiscent of its Reconstruction Era roots from the late 1880s.
The city’s growth was swift, and its founders and residents thought it would one day become more economically powerful than nearby Birmingham.
But in 2019, 24/7 Wall Street, a digital news platform, named Bessemer the worst city in Alabama to live in due to high crime. Its residents, many of whom have lived there for generations, disagree with the title.
They have told several local news networks how they cherish the uninterrupted views of rolling hills and the clear starry nights, and they’re not eager to see that change.
“Why are you so intent on putting this in our backyard where we’ve lived for generations?” McDaniel said. “There’s no reason for this data center to go into these people’s backyard.”
“It would be intrusive. It would be ever present 24/7. Our quality of life would go in the toilet,” local resident Ron Morgan told ABC3340 News.
Jeff Lowe told the Alabama Reflector: “Town is moving closer to us, and we’re not happy about it.”
Marshall Killingsworth, who’s lived in his home for more than 40 years, shared similar concerns.
“This particular land is rich, filled with ecology,” Killingsworth told ABC3340. “We’re talking about a habitat for deer, turkey, you name it.” The proposed site would sit just behind his backyard.
Inside Climate News tried to reach out for comment, but several city officials and attorneys had signed NDAs with the developer.
Mayor Gulley told WBRC: “I took a sworn oath of office to do what was in the best interest of the citizens of the city of Bessemer, and that’s what I am doing.”
When asked about the project, Councilmember Carla Jackson responded, “I thought I answered your question. And I was so sweet about it.”
Perhaps a playful nod to the Southern “bless your heart” kind of charm, Jackson made it clear she wouldn’t talk about the project right now, likely due to an NDA.
According to Inside Climate News, Donna Thigpen, president of Bessemer’s City Council, is the only official who confirmed she hasn’t signed an NDA.
It’s why she’s mostly been kept out of the discussions: “We have not met with the builders yet. We know nothing about it,” said Thigpen.
Is There a “Right” Way? The Answer Is Yes
Bessemer is just one example of what can happen when transparency and input don’t meet. It’s also why residents keep organizing, speaking out, and even going to court just to be heard.
A report by Data Center Watch found that more than $64 billion worth of data center projects have either been halted or stopped in the past two years due to public outcry.
But there are plenty of examples showing how data center construction and local communities can work together.
A recent one takes us to Texas, where Austin city officials have been transparent about plans for a massive 2-gigawatt data center cluster in the “Silicon Hills” area.
Texas officials have been openly excited about the project, which will create more jobs to support the region’s economy. They’re even expanding the highway to handle more commuters.
Several cities across the U.S. have proved that developers need to accept that communities won’t just sit back while venture-backed builders move in without at least meeting them halfway.
