Common Questions About the Collinwood Technology Park

Every time you use your phone, check your bank account, stream a movie, make a 911 call, or access school records, that information travels through a data center. Hospitals store patient records in them. Schools run their digital systems through them. Businesses, government agencies, and emergency services all depend on them every day. Data centers are the physical infrastructure behind the internet — and as that need grows, communities that can host them responsibly have an opportunity to attract significant long-term investment.

Data centers require very specific conditions: reliable power at scale, high-speed fiber connectivity, available land, a stable business environment, and a community willing to partner on responsible development. Wayne County checks all of those boxes. The region's power infrastructure, access to major fiber corridors, and available industrial land make it one of the more viable locations in the Southeast for this type of facility. The goal is to bring that investment — and the jobs and tax revenue that come with it — to Collinwood rather than somewhere else.

Wayne County offers the power infrastructure, land availability, and fiber connectivity that modern data centers require — along with a strong local workforce and a business-friendly environment.

Construction traffic will be managed through a dedicated access plan coordinated with county transportation. Once operational, the facility generates minimal daily traffic.

No. The regional grid does not have capacity for a facility this size, so the Collinwood Technology Park generates its own power on-site through a dedicated natural gas turbine plant rather than drawing from the utility grid. Because we don't pull power from the grid, this project has no effect on residential or business electricity rates and does not compete with the community for power.

Because this project includes on-site power generation, sound control was built into the design from day one. We're targeting no more than 40 dBA at the generation-yard property line (with a goal of 35 dBA where practical) and no more than 35 dBA at the nearest homes, about a quarter mile away (with a goal of 30–32 dBA) — quieter than a normal conversation. Controls include acoustic enclosures around each turbine, high-performance intake and exhaust silencers, and earth berms where they help block sound, backed by a commitment to test performance after each phase and add controls if a target is missed. See our full Community Sound Plan for the complete engineering approach.

The cooling system is entirely self-contained — a closed loop where the same water recirculates continuously without being discharged into local waterways or drawn from the community supply. Total facility water consumption from employee restroom and kitchen use is equivalent to approximately 5–7 homes. The facility will utilize on-site wells and grey water for landscape irrigation.

Construction and commissioning timelines are being finalized. Community updates will be posted here as milestones are confirmed.

A significant portion of the annual property tax revenue generated by the facility flows directly to the Wayne County school district — supplementing budgets for teachers, facilities, and programs.

The Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) is a formal commitment between the project and the community. Rather than deciding from a corporate office where investments should go, we believe those decisions should be made by the people who know Collinwood best — through the Community Advisory Task Force.