A proposal to build a massive AI data center about 20 miles from President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate was rejected late Wednesday by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners in a 5-1 vote. The decision on "Project Tango" followed a marathon 12-hour public hearing packed with residents wearing green shirts reading "NO to Project Tango." The vote marks another flashpoint in the nationwide battle over AI data center expansion.
Resident opposition and developer response
Developer PBA Holdings Inc. sought county approval to nearly double a previously approved development in Loxahatchee to about 3.6 million square feet, including over 1 million square feet of data center space. The company revised its proposal before the hearing to address community concerns, and a project manager estimated the completed development would generate $561 million in annual property tax revenue.
Residents argued the project would strain local infrastructure and negatively impact the community. Opposition organizers cited threats to health, well-being, and safety, noting the site would be within 1,200 feet of Saddle View Elementary School and the Arden neighborhood. Concerns also focused on water use, electricity demand, and noise.
Existing approvals remain
Ernie Cox, project manager for PBA Holdings, told a local NBC affiliate after the vote that the commission's decision does not affect existing approvals, which include two 100,000-square-foot data center buildings. "Well, that project goes forward. This vote doesn't have any effect on that," Cox said. The commission's decision leaves the door open for the developer to revise and resubmit the proposal.
Broader pushback against data centers
The fight over Project Tango comes as AI fuels an unprecedented data center construction boom across the U.S. According to Data Center Watch, a record 75 data center proposals worth an estimated $130 billion were delayed or blocked in the first three months of 2026 due to local opposition. Towns and cities nationwide are pausing or banning such developments. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed an executive order imposing the nation's first statewide moratorium on large-scale data centers. Trump criticized the move on Truth Social, calling data centers "tremendous WINS" and "Money Machines."