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Council says no decisions yet on potential data center near south Thomasville
Summary
Council members were briefed on interest in the Kimbrough property from developers exploring solar and data-center projects; the mayor said the city has not signed nondisclosure agreements, lacks authority over an out-of-city-site, and needs major studies (including an estimated $500,000 power study) before any commitment.
Mayor updated the council and public that multiple developers have reviewed the Kimbrough property on Thomasville’s south end and that the city is still gathering facts before taking a position. He emphasized the council has not signed nondisclosure agreements and is only at an early information-gathering stage.
“Our water department does not have the capacity to serve a mega data center,” the Mayor said, adding the city would not sacrifice local water capacity to accommodate an oversized project. He said many technical questions remain — including the size and type of facility, water and power needs, and whether diesel-fired backup generation would be proposed.
The Mayor said the first steps would include developers completing a power study (he noted that a power study could cost about $500,000) and that until such studies arrive the city cannot evaluate trade-offs or incentives. He also noted that much of the land under consideration lies outside the city limits, limiting the council’s authority to require or deny siting; the council’s primary lever would be whether to offer incentives.
The mayor described prior interest in the site from solar developers and a veterans-led development group and pointed to earlier industrial projects the city has pursued as context for careful review. He gave AT&T’s long-running downtown computer/switching facility as an example of a local data-center-type presence that produces little off-site noise.
What’s next: Council members said they want to see concrete proposals and supporting studies before making any commitments; the city plans to continue due diligence and publicly share details when available.
