Texas Data Center Backlash: Lawmaker Expresses Shock Over Lacy Lakeview’s Swift Approval Process

Council member approval of a data center in central Texas may not be a done deal after all.

InfraKey Data Center

Earlier this month, Lacy Lakeview city council members agreed to advance plans for a 10-billion-dollar data center in Elm Mott with plans to annex the project site into Lacy Lakeview. A local state lawmaker says...not so fast.

Did Lacy Lakeview Council Members Move Too Fast?

Speaking with KXXV, State House District 56 Representative Pat Curry said he was surprised to hear about the council’s vote and that he thinks members "put the cart before the horse" by ignoring the logistics the project would require. The House Representative said small towns need income, but the business must fit with the community.

Read More:Locals vs. Tech Giants: The Battle Over Water and Power in Waco’s Backyard

A “Rookie” Move

According to KXXV, Representative Curry said the process for annexing 520 acres for the data center is a lengthy, tedious process that involves a lot of moving parts. Curry said, "The MOU (memorandum of understanding) annexing it really means nothing, zero. The money that they're gonna have to spend now is with lawyers dealing with the county and the city of Waco."

Is It Too Late to Stop the Construction of the Data Center?

Representative Curry says the data center is not a done deal, because all the factors needed to complete the process may not materialize. Curry told KXXV, "It's not too late. The project's gonna stop itself. I mean, if they don't have everything put together... Now they've created this big uproar, so not only do they have to get their plan together, but then they got to go sell it." InfraKey said they chose the area in Elm Mott due to the existing powerlines located there.