Polk County Commissioner Bill Braswell (District 3) has been a vocal supporter of bringing data center developments—most notably the multi-billion-dollar Stonebridge data center project in Fort Meade—to Polk County.
Key Arguments and Stance
- Economic Diversification & Investment: Braswell views large-scale data center projects as major capital investments that diversify the local tax base without placing heavy demands on public infrastructure like schools, emergency services, or road traffic compared to typical residential developments.
- High-Wage Job Creation: While acknowledging that operational data centers employ fewer total workers than large distribution warehouses, Braswell emphasizes that the positions created (technology technicians, systems engineering, facility operators) are permanent, high-paying jobs well above the county’s average wage.
- Long-Term Revenue Generation: He has supported county incentives—including property tax exemptions (Ad Valorem tax abatement)—to attract large developers like Stonebridge. Proponents argue these agreements yield long-term tax yields for local schools and public services once incentives expire.
Community Pushback and Concerns
Braswell’s support has met significant resistance from local residents, particularly around the Fort Meade and Lakeland project sites:
- Environmental & Resource Impact: Residents worry about the strain massive cooling systems place on the Floridan aquifer, as well as the high electrical load on the power grid.
- Zoning and Quality of Life: Surrounding homeowners have voiced concerns over noise levels, light pollution, loss of rural land, and whether light industrial zoning is appropriate for multi-million-square-foot campuses.
- Public Engagement: In response to public concern, Commissioner Braswell hosted discussions and town-hall-style conversations alongside developers to address queries around water usage, job creation, and energy demands.
The Stonebridge data center project in Fort Meade is designed to be Florida’s first hyperscale data center campus.
Tax Incentives
- Polk County Abatement: Polk County approved a 10-year tax incentive package valued at approximately $140 million. This agreement relies on property tax exemptions (Ad Valorem tax abatement) to offset initial capital expenditure in exchange for high-value infrastructure investment.
- Local Economic Return: Estimates project the $2.6 billion total development will yield tens of millions in long-term revenue to the city and local school districts through remaining property taxes and municipal utility fees once phased exemptions expire.
Location Details
- Site: ~1,300 to 1,330 acres located in northwest Fort Meade (Polk County), situated west of U.S. Highway 98 and accessible near State Road 630 / West Broadway.
- Land History: The property consists of a former phosphate surface mine that was previously reclaimed and used for agricultural cattle grazing before being rezoned for industrial use.
Capacity & Resource Specifications
| Metric | Target / Specification |
| Total Facility Size | Up to 4.4 million square feet across 8 planned buildings (max 3 stories / 60 feet height). |
| Power Capacity | Planned demand of 1.2 gigawatts (1,200 MW). |
| Water Requirement | Estimated 50,000 gallons per day of potable water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer (revised down from earlier projections of 140,000–150,000 GPD). |
| Employment | Projected creation of ~500 permanent high-wage jobs by 2031. |
| Timeline | Groundbreaking targeted for initial building phases targeting operational readiness by 2028. |
Water management and permitting have become major legal and regulatory hurdles for the Fort Meade data center. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD or “Swiftmud”), along with state environmental officials, has raised several key issues:
1. Inability to Use Existing Municipal Water Permits
- Rule Changes: Under a SWFWMD policy rule adopted in December 2025, water-use allocation for data centers requires specific review.
- No “Piggybacking”: SWFWMD notified Fort Meade officials that the developer cannot simple draw water using the city’s existing municipal Water Use Permit (WUP), even though the city operates below its permitted pumping cap.
- New Permit Required: The city or developer must submit a separate, modified Water Use Permit application dedicated specifically to the facility. This application must be vetted and approved by SWFWMD’s governing board in an open public meeting.
2. Underestimation & Validity of Usage Estimates
- Shifting Projections: Initial project discussions cited cooling and operational water demands as high as 140,000 to 150,000 gallons per day (GPD). Later filings lowered that estimate to 50,000 GPD.
- State Agency Skepticism: Both SWFWMD and Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly publicly challenged the lower number. State officials warned that 50,000 GPD appears “woefully underestimated” for a 4.4 million-square-foot hyperscale campus with a 1.2 GW power density.
3. Regional Aquifer Deficits & Supply Constraints
- Upper Floridan Aquifer Strain: The project intends to draw directly from the Upper Floridan Aquifer. SWFWMD water planners project a 96 million-gallon-per-day regional water deficit in Central Florida that must be offset by conservation and alternative water supplies (such as deep Lower Floridan wells being pursued by the Polk Regional Water Cooperative).
- Precedent and Allocation Limits: Total allocated groundwater permits across Polk County municipalities already exceed sustainable natural replenishment levels. Regulators face intense scrutiny regarding whether approving a new high-volume industrial user jeopardizes agricultural irrigation and residential drinking water supplies.
4. Wastewater Discharge and Water Quality
- Chemical Blowdown Concerns: Beyond withdrawal volumes, environmental advocates and residents raised concerns regarding cooling tower “blowdown” wastewater. Closed-loop cooling systems require chemical additives (biocides, scale inhibitors, and rust control chemicals).
- Discharge Permitting: SWFWMD and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) must review how wastewater from the facility will be treated or discharged to avoid contaminating local surface waters or shallow groundwater tables.
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