Wilmington City Council Delays Vote on Major AWS Data Center Project November 30, 2025 The Wilmington City Council has postponed a crucial vote on a proposed 471-acre data center campus by Amazon Web Services (AWS), highlighting the growing tensions between rapid hyperscale expansion and local community concerns in key US markets. The decision underscores the complex regulatory and social hurdles that even the largest cloud providers must navigate as they accelerate infrastructure builds to support AI and cloud computing demand. During a council meeting on November 25, officials opted to delay the vote until December 4 to allow more time to review the application and consider significant pushback from residents. The vote pertains to Ordinance O-25-73, which would establish a compensation agreement between AWS, the city, and the Clinton County Port Authority, including tax exemptions for the tech giant for up to 30 years. The planned campus, located at 1488 South US 68, represents a substantial investment. AWS has committed to investing approximately $4 billion in developing the site, which is expected to create at least 100 permanent jobs with a total annual payroll of $8 million. Additionally, the company has pledged $25 million for public infrastructure upgrades, including sewer systems, a water main, a water tower, and road improvements. However, the project faces local opposition. Reports indicate that around 40 residents spoke at the meeting, with many urging the council to reject the deal. Primary concerns included the site's proximity to homes and schools, potential noise pollution, impacts on the local water supply, and a perceived "lack of transparency" from AWS, which remained anonymous for much of the early planning process. Councilors now plan to review documents further and engage with the community before the rescheduled vote, with the Port Authority invited to address questions at the December 4 meeting. This delay occurs within the broader context of AWS's aggressive expansion in Ohio. The cloud leader already operates its US East (Ohio) Region in the state and has announced plans to invest $23 billion there by 2030. Its recent activity includes a planned five-building campus in New Albany, a potential $2 billion campus in Sunbury, and the acquisition of 590 acres in Fayette County for another project. The proposed Wilmington campus is a key piece of this statewide build-out, reflecting the intense competition for data center capacity in the Midwest. The outcome of the upcoming vote will be closely watched as a bellwether for community relations and regulatory approval processes in emerging data center hubs. Source: datacenterdynamics
Wilmington City Council Delays Vote on Major AWS Data Center Project
