Palm Beach Data Center Faces Backlash Over Secrecy

Massive project's end user remains unknown, sparking concerns from nearby residents.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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A proposed massive data center project in western Palm Beach County, known as Project Tango, has met with strong local opposition due to a lack of transparency around the project's details and end user. The data center has expanded significantly from its initial approval in 2016, growing from 206,000 square feet to 1.8 million square feet, raising concerns from nearby residents in Wellington, Loxahatchee, and the Arden community who feel blindsided by the changes. The county followed its procedures, but relevant economic development agencies are legally allowed to keep the identity of the new business secret, which has prevented meaningful community discussions about the project's impacts and benefits.

Why it matters

Hyper-scale data centers like Project Tango have significant environmental and quality of life implications for surrounding communities, including massive energy demands, excessive water use, unrelenting noise, and potential impacts on property values. Without transparency about the project's end user and details, residents are unable to fully understand and weigh the tradeoffs. This lack of openness has fueled growing opposition and could become a major issue in the 2026 Palm Beach County Commission elections.

The details

Project Tango was initially approved in 2016 as a 206,000-square-foot data center, but has since expanded to a 1.8 million-square-foot facility. The developers are reportedly Palm Beach Aggregates, a rock-mining company, and Phillips Inc., a Tennessee-based infrastructure contractor, but the end user remains unknown. Legislation in Tallahassee may impose additional studies, buffers, and oversight, but even the toughest bill allows economic development agencies to keep a company's identity hidden for 12 months.

  • Project Tango was initially approved in 2016.
  • The project's expansion to 1.8 million square feet was added to a December 10 commission consent agenda in 2025.
  • Palm Beach County Commissioners will discuss the project, now scaled back to 1 million square feet, on April 23, 2026.

The players

Palm Beach Aggregates

A rock-mining company that is reportedly one of the developers behind Project Tango.

Phillips Inc.

A Tennessee-based infrastructure contractor that is reportedly one of the developers behind Project Tango.

Maria Sachs

A Palm Beach County Commissioner who has compared the difference between the initial 206,000-square-foot data center and the current 1.8 million-square-foot facility to "the difference between building a stall for three horses and building a racetrack."

Stop Project Tango

A grassroots group mobilizing online opposition to the data center project.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Palm Beach County Commissioners will discuss the project, now scaled back to 1 million square feet, on April 23, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater transparency and community engagement around large-scale data center projects, which can have significant environmental and quality of life impacts on surrounding areas. Without upfront disclosure of the project's end user and details, residents are unable to fully understand the tradeoffs and benefits, fueling growing opposition that could become a major political issue.