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Marana Today
By the People, for the People
Marana Voters Could Decide Fate of 600-Acre Data Center Plan
Opponents file petitions to force public vote on controversial rezoning decision
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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Opponents of a proposed 600-acre data center campus in Marana, Arizona have filed petitions with the town clerk to force a public vote on the town council's recent rezoning decision that cleared the way for the project. The petitioners, including the No Desert Data Center Coalition and Arizonans for Responsible Development, say they have submitted around 2,800 signatures for each of the two rezoning challenges, exceeding the threshold needed to qualify the measures for the ballot. The town clerk must now verify the signatures before the council decides when the question will go to voters.
Why it matters
The Marana fight is part of a broader debate in Arizona over the growth of the data center industry and how communities should handle large-scale projects. State leaders are considering new rules, like ending tax exemptions and imposing water usage fees, to make data centers 'pay their fair share.' The outcome in Marana could set a precedent for how other Arizona towns approach similar proposals in the future.
The details
In early January, the Marana Town Council voted unanimously to rezone two adjacent parcels totaling about 600 acres to clear the way for a hyperscale data center campus. The developer behind the project is Beale Infrastructure, and Tucson Electric Power and Trico Electric would provide power. Opponents filed serial-number referendum petitions, saying they aim to overturn the council's rezoning decision and send the question to the ballot. The petitions need roughly 1,360 valid signatures each to qualify.
- In early January, the Marana Town Council voted to rezone the land for the data center project.
- Opponents filed the referendum petitions with the town clerk in February 2026.
The players
No Desert Data Center Coalition
A group opposing the proposed 600-acre data center campus in Marana.
Arizonans for Responsible Development
A group backed by the labor organization Worker Power, which is also opposing the data center project.
Beale Infrastructure
The developer tied to the proposed 600-acre data center campus in Marana.
Tucson Electric Power
One of the utility companies that would serve the data center sites at buildout.
Trico Electric
One of the utility companies that would serve the data center sites at buildout.
What’s next
The town clerk must verify the signatures on the referendum petitions. If the petitions are certified, the Marana Town Council will decide when the question will appear on the ballot for voters to decide.
The takeaway
The fight over the proposed data center in Marana highlights the growing debate in Arizona over how communities should handle large-scale data center projects. The outcome could set a precedent for how other towns approach similar proposals in the future, as state leaders consider new rules to make the industry 'pay its fair share.'
