Enid entrepreneurs are moving forward with a locally owned data‑center complex they call “Project Thunderbird.” The partnership, Plainsmen Holdings, is led by four Enid‑born investors who say their deep roots give them a unique ability to work with the community and keep control of the project within the city.
Economic promise and military support
According to spokesperson Jason Singer, the development will spread across roughly 1,700 acres and be built in four separate campuses. The developers estimate the project could bring tens of millions of dollars to Enid each year and eventually support as many as 600 permanent positions.
In addition to the commercial benefits, the facility is designed to include its own power plant that would serve as a backup power source for Vance Air Force Base. “Every military installation in the country has a mandate to have backup power by 2030,” Singer said, noting the urgency after a recent tornado knocked out local electricity.
Local control and community partnership
Plainsmen Holdings emphasizes that being locally owned distinguishes the project from larger, out‑of‑state data centers. “It’s not very typical that folks who are from, born and raised in the town, take the lead,” Singer explained. “As the intermediary, it puts us in the position to work with the community, to make sure that we get the best partner here and that the city and partnership is able to have some control.”
Marcie Mack of the Enid Regional Development Alliance confirmed that discussions about providing backup power to Vance Air Force Base have been ongoing for more than a year, reinforcing the project’s alignment with regional infrastructure goals.
Resident concerns
While many welcome the potential economic boost, some Enid residents remain skeptical. Jacob McNew, a local citizen, expressed worries that many of the new jobs could be highly technical positions that may attract workers from outside the community rather than benefiting current residents. He also raised concerns about the proposed Kaw Lake water pipeline, fearing strain on the town’s water and electric systems.
McNew is organizing a petition to halt the project until these issues are addressed. “I’ve noticed this isn’t a partisan issue. This is something that we all come together on and agree we don’t want this here,” he said.
Next steps
Before construction can begin, the project must secure rezoning approval and pass reviews by the Enid planning commission and city council. The developers remain confident that the partnership will ultimately “fundamentally transform this community, not just now but for generations to come.”
Local officials and business leaders are watching the process closely, recognizing both the promise of new revenue and jobs and the importance of safeguarding Enid’s water and energy resources.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
