Packed meeting, protests erupt as OpenAI data center divides Effingham County
As residents directed frustration at county leaders, commissioners told WJCL 22 they never voted on the project.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. —
An open house on a proposed OpenAI data center campus in Effingham County drew a large crowd Thursday night, as residents voiced a mix of optimism, frustration and concern over a project that could reshape the area.
Residents moved from table to table, speaking with OpenAI representatives, county officials and project leaders about the proposed development.
Some attendees said they came away encouraged by the scale of the investment and the potential economic impact.
“I think it’s excellent and I think it’s great for the county,” attendee Kenneth Krebs said.
Others said they left with more questions than answers.
“I’m a little bit frustrated because there seems to be a lot of circular discussion,” resident Summer Holt said. “When I ask a question, instead of answering that question, I get rerouted.”
Outside the meeting, protesters gathered to oppose the proposed data center. Holding signs and chanting, they raised concerns about water use, rapid growth and how quickly the project was announced.
“I quite frankly was shocked at how quickly this seemed to happen without anybody talking about it, being asked any questions,” resident Destini Woodley said while protesting outside.
Several residents told WJCL 22 News they did not learn about the project until Wednesday’s announcement and believe the public should have been brought into the conversation earlier.
“We feel betrayed by this,” said Lex Gunn, a lifelong Effingham County resident.
OpenAI said it has been in talks with county leaders well before the project was announced publicly.
“The project is moving forward,” Aaron McLear, OpenAI’s vice president of communications, said. “We’ve been working with county leaders for months.”
A central point of confusion for many residents was why the proposal advanced without a public vote. Effingham County Commissioner Phil Kieffer said the board of commissioners has not voted on the project because the property is already zoned for industrial use, including a data center.
“There’s been no vote. No, nothing. Not even a thumbs up,” Kieffer said. “Our board has taken no action. The property is zoned industrial and has been for some time.”
Officials said the proposed campus would span about 1,400 acres and represent at least a $20 billion investment. OpenAI said the development would create hundreds of permanent jobs and bring millions of dollars in community investment.
Resident Nick Dowling said he supports the proposal.
“I really am excited about, not only job opportunities, but how they’re taking that preemptive step about the development of this new location,” he said.
Still, concerns about infrastructure surfaced repeatedly throughout the evening, especially around whether the county can support more large-scale growth.
“We cannot properly sustain this growth,” Gunn said. “I understand they talk about investing in the power grid. But how can they talk about that when our current power grid can’t even handle it?”
County leaders said the project must still go through local review before construction can begin.
“From my understanding, the first time they’ll come to us will be for site plan approval,” Kieffer said.