Developers pitch $1.2B AI data‑center on 5,200‑acre ranch; county agrees to staff‑level MOU talks

Developers representing ISS 91 LLC and partners presented a preliminary plan on Sept. 22 to buy a 5,200‑acre ranch (Rancho Incontado) and develop roughly 25% of it as a data center and power hub to host artificial‑intelligence workloads. Presenters, including Thomas Blake and Charles Clemens, said the full campus could cost more than $1.2 billion, directly employ about 100 people locally (with additional indirect jobs during construction), require fiber build‑out to Laredo and San Antonio, and have significant on‑site power and water needs.

On the water question, developers said they had six existing wells on site and estimated water use at the design point in the hundreds of thousands of gallons per day (they cited roughly "300,000–500,000 gallons a day") and described closed‑loop cooling and other measures to limit evaporation. The developers also described a hybrid power approach — solar, combined heat and power and battery storage — with islanded operation to minimize stress on the regional grid; they said the site could also export power to ERCOT on surplus days.

Several commissioners asked about job commitments, tax abatement timing and environmental impacts. The court did not approve any tax or water entitlements on the spot but authorized county staff to pursue a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and to work with the developers on grant opportunities and technical reviews. Developers requested a resolution of support for grant applications to preserve an option on the ranch during due diligence. Commissioners asked staff to vet water/well capacity, fiber feasibility and state regulatory needs before any formal incentives or permitting decisions.

The court agreed to work with the developers on a next‑step MOU and return with a staff‑reviewed proposal for commissioners to consider at a future meeting.