The $10bn Project Baccara data center in Maricopa County, Arizona has gained approval on a crucial permit. However, this comes amidst mounting opposition and concerns on the project’s development. The development is a proposed large-scale project in the West Valley near Surprise, with two data center buildings powered by on-site natural gas generators. “Project Baccara is not just another data center in the far West Valley.
It represents opportunity,” said one supporter of the project during the meeting. However, despite the approval, the project still has other hurdles it needs to cross. One of them is a required military compatibility permit. It essentially ensures the new development does not interfere with military operations. In a letter from March, Luke Air Force Base officials listed their conditions for compatibility.
These include not obstructing a pilot’s visibility and also providing proper shielding to prevent interference with an aircraft. “It is deemed compatible with Luke. We’ve received Luke’s conditions and the CEO immediately responded in writing, accepting all of those stipulations,” said Ed Bull of Baccara Eagle Land, LLC.
Arizona is advancing numerous data center projects such as Google’s Project Red Hawk data center project in Mesa. According to local officials, the project forms part of ongoing development within the Elliot Road Technology Corridor. The facility is planned to support data processing and related operations as part of broader infrastructure expansion activities in the area.
Reasons for Opposition on Project Baccara Data Center in Arizona
The Project Baccara data center campus in Arizona is facing mounting opposition as residents seem to not be on board with the project. Leading up to the meeting, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors received 553 comments against the data center project, and five in support. Although the focus of the May 6 meeting was the permit approval, community members used it as another chance to make their opinions heard.
“It will be built within feets of thousands of homes, and schools and community centers and parks,” said one opponent. Moreover, another opponent noted that such data centers raise the temperatures of surrounding neighborhoods while poisoning the air. Despite the military compatibility permit being approved, The EPA still has to give approval for the site, along with the military, before moving forward.
Project Factsheet:
- Project Name: Project Baccara
- Location: Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
- Estimated Investment Value: $10 Billion
- Project Type: Hyperscale Data Center Campus
Timeline
- 2026: Key military compatibility permit approved
- Upcoming Phase: EPA and additional military approvals pending
- Construction Timeline: Yet to be finalized
Site & Scale
- Campus Type: Large-scale hyperscale data center development
- Data Centers: Two planned buildings
- Power Infrastructure: 700MW natural gas-powered generation system
- Location Area: West Valley near Surprise, Arizona
Project Teams
- Developer: Baccara Eagle Land LLC
- Regulatory Authorities: Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, EPA, Luke Air Force Base
Infrastructure Scope
- Construction of two hyperscale data center buildings
- On-site natural gas power generation infrastructure
- Aircraft shielding and visibility compliance systems
- Supporting utility and operational infrastructure
Strategic Objectives
- Expand Arizona’s data center and digital infrastructure capacity
- Support large-scale computing and cloud operations
- Drive economic growth and investment in West Valley
- Create long-term industrial and technology development opportunities
Challenges
- Strong community opposition over environmental concerns
- Concerns about air quality and neighborhood heat impacts
- Proximity to residential areas, schools, parks, and community centers
- Additional EPA and military approvals still required
- Compliance requirements linked to Luke Air Force Base operations
Current Status
- Military compatibility permit approved with conditions
- Luke Air Force Base conditions accepted by developers
- More than 550 public comments submitted against the project
