Residents press Edge over Prichard data center's water, jobs and grid impacts at community meeting

An Edge presenter outlined plans for a networking data center at 214 Telegraph Road in Prichard, saying the single building would be about 60,000 square feet on roughly 9 acres, cost about $93 million to build and use a closed-loop, "waterless" cooling system to avoid large municipal water draws.

The presenter said the company operates a national portfolio of facilities and that the proposed Prichard site is relatively small compared with hyperscale campuses. "We at Edge believe that water is for drinking, not for data," the presenter said, adding that a conventional, water-cooled facility of similar size would use about 23,000,000 gallons a year — "the equivalent of 400 Prichard households" — that the company's design would avoid.

Why it matters: Neighbors and elected officials said they welcomed the opportunity to ask questions but remained skeptical about the project's local impact, particularly on the municipal water system, the electric grid, long-term local hiring and nearby historic and residential areas.

Community concerns and company responses

Councilman Smith and others pressed the company on tax and economic claims. The presenter said the developer expects about $5 million a year in direct tax revenue for Prichard and "12 plus million dollars in taxable sales and purchases," and said leasing arrangements would include nearly 20-year tenant commitments to reduce near-term obsolescence risk.

Several residents raised technical concerns about power delivery. Tamara Williams asked whether the project would rely on transmission lines and whether the grid would bear costs or reliability risks; Becca Parsons, who identified herself as part of Edge, responded that the site would be served from distribution lines and that the company had worked with Alabama Power on reliability studies. "We are not operating off of transmission lines," Parsons said. Company representatives also told the meeting they would cover "100% of the cost to tap in" so that grid upgrades would not be borne by local ratepayers.

A retired energy professional, Jarell Winchester, told the meeting he was concerned about the need for substations and about diesel-fired backup generators' air-quality and health impacts for elderly residents; the presenter said the firm plans standard industry backups and emphasized the project is a much smaller emissions source compared with heavy industry.

Residents and local advocates also questioned whether promised jobs would reach Prichard. Edge projected up to 200 construction jobs during the 18-month build and about 20 permanent onsite positions for operations, and the presenter said the company would prioritize local vendors and outreach. Quentin Booker, who identified himself as working in the data-center industry and as a local graduate, urged Edge to establish school- and certification-based training (Security+, network certifications) with nearby high schools so local youth could qualify for technical positions. "Those 20 jobs that y'all promising ain't gonna stay inside the church," Booker said, arguing that many technical roles could go to nonlocal hires without training programs.

Cultural and land-use questions

Speakers asked about the site's proximity to an area identified repeatedly in the meeting as "Africa Town," described by residents as a historically significant neighborhood. Company representatives said they would avoid disturbing that overlay, leave existing wetlands intact and place the new building footprint where the existing industrial structure sits.

Public process and next steps

Annie Williams, who identified herself as Prichard's District 1 councilperson, said she had received hundreds of calls and emails opposing the project and clarified that while Mayor Davis visited a company facility, most council members had not been on that tour. Several residents said they had feared limited prior notice. Edge representatives said they voluntarily held an April community meeting, hosted a facility tour for the mayor and had posted a project website for ongoing comment. The presenter said the company is open to negotiating a community benefit agreement and invited residents to submit priorities through the website.

The meeting ended without any formal votes or approvals; the company said it would continue outreach via the project website and coordinate further with council members and community representatives.

Sources: Comments and answers recorded at the developer-hosted Prichard community meeting, including on-the-record statements by the Edge presenter; Becca Parsons (Edge); Gabriel Dodge (founder, Picture Boxing Academy); Quentin Booker (data-center worker); Jarell Winchester (retired energy professional); and Councilperson Annie Williams.