Coachella officials are considering a temporary moratorium on Stronghold Power Systems' proposed Coachella Valley Technology Campus after hundreds of residents protested at a lengthy City Council meeting. The planned campus could span up to 450 acres and initially include three one‑million‑square‑foot buildings with around 90 megawatts each. Residents raised concerns about water use, air quality, energy demand, and proximity to homes and schools, while Stronghold defended its closed‑loop cooling plans and projected over $20 million in annual revenue for the city. The council voted 4-0 to hire outside counsel and may vote on a moratorium on June 3.
Coachella Considers Temporary Moratorium After Mass Protests Over Massive Data Center Plan
The proposed data center location is at 52nd Ave & Fillmore St, Coachella, CA 92274.Screenshot
City leaders in Coachella are weighing a temporary moratorium on Stronghold Power Systems' proposed Coachella Valley Technology Campus after hundreds of residents packed a City Council meeting to oppose the project.
Project Details
Planning documents indicate the campus could cover up to 450 acres and ultimately host up to six data centers. Stronghold says the initial phase would include three buildings of roughly one million square feet each, with an electrical capacity of about 90 megawatts per facility.
Public Opposition
Residents spoke for more than five hours, raising objections about water consumption, local air pollution, increased energy demand, and the site's proximity to homes and schools. Protesters gathered outside city hall with signs reading slogans such as "Defend Coachella, no data centers" and "Protect our environment, not tech profits."
"This valley is already facing extreme heat, water scarcity, and infrastructure strain," Coachella resident Adriana Suarez told the council. "These data centers do not belong here, and you guys know it."
Council Response
All four council members signaled support for pausing action on Stronghold's proposal so the city can study the impacts more closely. The council also voted 4-0 to hire outside legal counsel to review an agreement that would allow a city-controlled utility to provide power for the project. A special meeting to consider a moratorium is tentatively scheduled for June 3.
Company Statement
Stronghold CEO Scott Bailey defended the proposal at the meeting, accusing opponents of spreading what he called "false information." Bailey said the design relies on a closed-loop cooling system that would not use the city's drinking water and argued the development could produce more than $20 million a year in revenue for Coachella.
"It goes on and on and on about the benefits," Bailey said. "They obviously don't want to hear it, but I'm here for you guys."
Broader Context
The Coachella dispute reflects a growing pattern of community pushback as data centers proliferate across the United States to meet rising demand from cloud services and artificial intelligence. Some projects have moved forward despite resistance—for example, county commissioners in Box Elder, Utah, recently approved the large Stratos Project despite intense local opposition.
Next steps: The council may vote on a temporary moratorium at the special meeting; if approved, the pause would give local officials time to study environmental, infrastructure, and regulatory concerns and consider a longer-term ordinance governing data center development.
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