Florida City Pushes Forward on Controversial Hyperscale Data Center

DeSantis administration raises concerns over economic benefits, permits, and impact on energy and water resources

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:20pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D macro illustration of a futuristic data center server rack, with neon cyan and magenta lights illuminating the intricate hardware components, conceptually representing the complex digital infrastructure behind modern data centers.As Florida grapples with the rise of hyperscale data centers, a glowing visualization of the complex hardware powering these energy-intensive facilities.Fort Meade Today

The Fort Meade city commission in Florida has unanimously voted to approve an agreement to build the state's first hyperscale data center, despite opposition from residents and a strongly worded letter from the state's Department of Commerce Secretary criticizing the project's viability and potential impacts.

Why it matters

The DeSantis administration has been vocal in its skepticism of large-scale data centers, citing concerns over costs to residents and risks to energy and water resources. This project represents a clash between the state's push to regulate the industry and a local government's desire to attract economic development.

The details

The proposed data center would be up to 4.4 million square feet and could use up to 50,000 gallons of water per day. The state's Department of Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly sent a letter to the Fort Meade mayor calling the planning 'fundamentally flawed', stating the project has overstated economic benefits, lacks key permits, and poses threats to energy and water resources. The city amended the development agreement to note it is contingent on approval from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, whose DeSantis-appointed board will have final say over the water permit.

  • On April 17, 2026, the Fort Meade city commission unanimously voted to approve the data center agreement.
  • On the same day, the Southwest Florida Water Management District sent a letter saying the city can't use its existing water permit to supply the data center.

The players

Alex Kelly

Florida Department of Commerce Secretary, who sent a critical letter to the Fort Meade mayor about the data center proposal.

Jaret Landon Williams

Mayor of Fort Meade, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Kelly's letter.

Stonebridge

The real estate developer behind the company setting up the data center in Fort Meade.

Duke Energy

The utility that would supply power to the proposed data center.

Southwest Florida Water Management District

The state agency whose DeSantis-appointed board will have final say over the data center's water permit.

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What they’re saying

“The hurdles ahead all but guarantee challenges that are indeed ripe for public input.”

— Alex Kelly, Florida Department of Commerce Secretary

“Data centers will bear the costs of their needed electricity generation — not residents — and they could actually help lower costs for all by spreading fixed expenses over more users.”

— Ana Gibbs, Duke Energy spokesperson

What’s next

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's DeSantis-appointed board will have the final say over whether to approve the data center's water permit, which could determine the viability of the entire project.

The takeaway

This battle over the Fort Meade data center highlights the ongoing tension between the DeSantis administration's skepticism of large-scale data centers and local governments' desire to attract economic development, with concerns over costs, resources, and transparency at the heart of the debate.