Temple’s Seven-Hour Standoff: Council Approves Data Center Amid Record Protest

Temple residents are livid over the approval of a third data center in the city. The approval follows a wave of new data centers moving into Central Texas.

Temple City Council Approves Third Data Center Amid Record Protest

In a session that stretched over seven and a half hours, the Temple City Council approved the annexation and rezoning of over 185 acres in east Temple to pave the way for Rowan Ranger. This project marks the third data center for Rowan Digital Infrastructure in the area, a move that met heated resistance from a record-breaking crowd of nearly 150 residents.

A Tense Atmosphere at City Hall

According to the Temple Daily Telegram, the Thursday night meeting, which lasted until after midnight, included a wide range of emotion. Mayor Tim Davis issued warnings about removal as the crowd accused the council of being dismissive about the feelings of Temple residents. Despite the pressure, the Council voted 4-0 in favor of the expansion, with one abstention from Zoe Grant due to a potential conflict of interest regarding her nonprofit, Zoe’s Wings.

The Economic Debate

Rowan representatives spent hours defending the project, which represents a minimum investment of $2.1 billion. According to Aaron Henry, Rowan’s Director of Economic Development, the sites are projected to generate at least $8.4 million in property taxes including during a 50% abatement period. The centers are expected to create 120 jobs.

What About All That Water

Resource consumption, specifically water, remained a flashpoint. Rowan’s Senior Manager of Procurement, Steve Edwards, said that the facility utilizes a "closed-loop" system to minimize waste.

Initial Charge: An initial 2.5 million gallons of city water is required to flush the system.

Internal Loop: The inner cooling system uses a glycol-water mixture trucked in from outside Temple to avoid local drainage.

Unresolved Issues

Opponents of the data center criticized the lack of mandatory environmental impact studies, a point Mayor Davis defended by citing Texas property rights laws. Following the vote, opposition leaders Sarah and Joe Royer officially announced their intent to organize a recall petition against Mayor Davis and Council members Jessica Walker and Mike Pilkington, signaling that the battle over Temple’s digital infrastructure is far from over.