Navajo Nation Leaders Unanimously Oppose $10 Billion Data Center Near Antelope Canyon
May 10, 2026
Navajo Nation Leaders Unanimously Oppose $10 Billion Data Center Near Antelope Canyon
The LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation has unanimously passed a resolution opposing the City of Page’s decision to sell 500 acres of recreational land for a proposed $10 billion data center development. The vote, taken in February, signals deepening tensions between tribal sovereignty and the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure in the American Southwest.
“We just want nature, the land, and water. We don’t need a data center,” said Irene Whitekiller, President of the LeChee Chapter, standing in front of the LeChee Chapter House. The proposed development site directly borders the LeChee Chapter, which is home to the internationally popular tourist destination of Antelope Canyon. Tribal leaders argue that the project threatens not only sacred lands but also the region’s fragile water resources and the local tourism economy that sustains many Navajo families.
The City of Page sold the land last year as part of a broader push to attract high-tech investment to the area. The data center, with an estimated price tag of $10 billion, would be one of the largest such facilities in the region. However, Navajo officials contend that the sale was made without adequate consultation with the tribe, whose reservation surrounds much of the land in question. The resolution passed by the LeChee Chapter formally opposes the development and calls for greater tribal involvement in any future decisions regarding land use along the border.
The dispute highlights a growing friction point in the data center industry: as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure surges, developers are increasingly eyeing remote, land-rich areas that often overlap with Indigenous territories. Environmental groups and tribal advocates have warned that without proper consent and environmental review, such projects could lead to long-term damage to ecosystems and cultural sites. The Navajo Nation’s opposition in Page could set a precedent for how similar proposals are handled in other parts of the Southwest, where water scarcity and land rights remain highly sensitive issues.
Source: sltrib
