“We want to be absolutely clear: Earl Warren Showgrounds will not consider a data center on this property,” said Earl Warren Showgrounds CEO Ben Sprague on Wednesday.
This announcement comes after the months-old data center company Global Stack U.S.A. reached out to Earl Warren Showgrounds through the California Department of Agriculture. The company has been reaching out to state owned fairgrounds across California with a pitch to build shipping-container-sized data centers inside parking structures with helipads on top. Their claim is that these centers will aid in emergency preparedness and help generate year-round revenue for fairgrounds.
Sprague said that the company requested the showgrounds to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, which he declined. He did have “Global Stack” listed under his CEO report on meeting agendas for the previous two board meetings; his report was not given at either meeting. “Global Stack U.S.A.” is listed on the agenda for the next board meeting on Thursday, October 29, which was released on Monday night.
On Wednesday, the showgrounds issued a press release stating that there will be no data centers built on the property. “No such project is being pursued, nor will it be.”
“The reference to Global Stack on previous Board agendas was included solely as part of the CEO’s routine reporting of outside inquiries,” the showgrounds said in a statement. “It did not represent a proposal initiated, endorsed or under consideration by Earl Warren Showgrounds.”
Sprague said that “our focus remains on preserving and strengthening the Showgrounds as a community asset, supporting agriculture and equestrian activities, recreation, public gatherings and emergency preparedness for generations to come.”
