Project promises 225 permanent jobs and billions in projected school revenue, but residents have gone to court over how the deal was approved
By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
One of the largest investments ever announced in Alabama is headed for Lowndes County, a rural, majority-Black county in the heart of the Black Belt.
Lambda, an artificial intelligence cloud company, said Nov. 4 that it will invest an estimated $33.1 billion in a data center campus on about 2,200 acres near U.S. 80 and Alabama 21. The site, called the Red Clay Technology Center Campus, was readied by developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure.
Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and could take up to five years, according to Lambda. The company projects more than 1,000 construction jobs and more than 225 full-time positions.
Cloverleaf projects the campus will generate more than $2.8 billion in local tax revenue through 2049, including more than $1.6 billion for Lowndes County Public Schools. Lambda and Cloverleaf also plan to put $10 million into a community benefits agreement with the Central Alabama Community Foundation.
“These resources will help us strengthen school facilities,” said Lowndes County Schools Superintendent Samita Jeter.
Lambda says it will pay the full cost of power and grid upgrades upfront, use closed-loop cooling and return at least as much water as the campus uses. Alabama Power will supply electricity, pending regulatory approval.
Not everyone is celebrating. Protect Lowndes County, the Alabama Rivers Alliance and others have sued the Lowndes County Commission, alleging violations of the state’s Open Meetings and Open Records acts in approving a fast-track tax abatement package, WSFA reported. Opponents have raised concerns about the project’s power and water demands.