CLARKSDALE – A large crowd of residents gathered Monday evening at Clarksdale’s Civic Auditorium to ask questions about or voice their thoughts on a proposed data center development.
Many were excited about the economic benefits that such a large project could bring to the small, financially struggling Delta community.
“We’ve been praying for Clarksdale’s economic turnaround for a long time. And this is a godsend that can turn around Clarksdale,” said business owner Bob Wright.
Few details have been provided about the proposal, including who the developer is and the size of potential investment. Officials said this is due to the preliminary nature of negotiations.
The town hall came ahead of next week’s Clarksdale Board of Commissioners meeting, when the board will consider a rezoning application for the proposed 648-acre site.
Officials from the city have stressed that while there have been conversations with a developer, there are currently no agreements in place, and that even if the property is rezoned, the project is not guaranteed.
“Does approving a zoning ordinance mean that the project is absolutely going to happen and that the company is absolutely going to make the investment? No,” said Tray Hairston, a lawyer from Butler Snow hired by the city as a consultant on the project.
Clarksdale is a historic town known for its contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and as the birthplace of blues music. However, it has struggled economically and experienced a steady population decline, like many other farming towns in the Mississippi Delta.
In 2000, its population was around 20,000; now it is about 14,000. The poverty rate is about 40%, over double the statewide rate. The tax base has eroded with the loss of people.
In Clinton, a different data center project is estimated to bring in a minimum of $5 million a year in taxes to the city and its school district. Other cities with data center projects have projected tens of millions of dollars a year in new tax revenue. In 2021, Clarksdale’s annual general revenue is $12.5 million.
“We need to be able to pay our teachers. We need to be able to improve our facilities. And I think this data center could provide tax revenue that would do that,” said Jason Matthews, a retired public school educator.
However, some residents raised concerns about noise, energy and water consumption, customer utility rate increases, health risks, or other potential impact from such a project.
“My concern is about how it will affect the babies, the ears, and the local animals that we have here,” said Patricia White, a retired nurse and lifelong Clarksdale resident. “Money is good. I love money. But I’m concerned about the health of the residents. Why was it chosen? Why was it chosen to be where it is? It’s going to affect us?”
There are five data centers being constructed in Mississippi. Including Clarksdale, there are at least four more centers under consideration.
The city did not make any decisions at the meeting and said that it would work to address the public’s questions and publish its responses. The board is expected to vote on the rezoning of the site at its Monday, March 23 meeting.
“I think those are legitimate and real and earnest questions that we have to answer,” said Hairston.
Editor’s note: Tray Hairston, an attorney with Butler Snow, serves on the Board of Directors of Deep South Today, the parent company of Mississippi Today.
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