A $93 million data center is a hard sell when the long-term job number is about 20. That's the fight in Prichard, Alabama, where residents pushed back on a plan for the old 911 center site and a new eight-megawatt load on the local grid before the City Council votes.
Edged US wants to build Project Gateway there. Edged says the building would cover about 57 thousand square feet, draw 8 megawatts of power, and bring a $93 million investment to Prichard. It promises at least 20 permanent jobs. Construction work would come first, but the permanent payroll is the number that residents will live with after the buildout.
Project Gateway project page, NBC15 Prichard meeting
Quiet claims need proof
Edged says Project Gateway would use no local water for daily cooling and save 23 million gallons a year compared with traditional designs. It also says the site should run at about 54 decibels, close to normal conversation.
Those claims are useful. They don't settle the deal. At a packed FOX10 town hall, residents asked about power, heat, environmental effects, data privacy and AI. Before any vote, residents should see written answers on the power demand, generator testing, road work, tax breaks and who pays if the project needs upgrades around it.
Project Gateway water and power claims, FOX10 Prichard town hall
Twenty jobs is the problem
UTV44 reported in April that officials expected about 20 jobs with salaries above $70,000. Project Gateway now says at least 20 permanent jobs plus construction work. Long term, the trade is public land and heavy power use for a small permanent staff.
Twenty jobs matter to the people who get them. But they don't settle a $93 million site deal. Residents should know exactly what the city gives up, how long any tax break lasts, and what happens if the site's power needs grow.
UTV44 Project Gateway jobs, Project Gateway local benefits
Put it in writing
Prichard Mayor Carletta Davis told FOX10 that the community spoke loudly and that the City Council now has the decision. There is no set timeline, so the city can ask for better public answers before it votes.
Data centers exist. A city still should not reserve land and power for one unless the terms are clear before the vote. If Project Gateway works for Prichard, the numbers should make that obvious without a public meeting having to drag them out.
