LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — Residents of the Arden community in western Palm Beach County gathered for a rally to voice their opposition to Project Tango, a controversial 1.8 million square foot AI data center proposed on 200 acres along Southern Boulevard near the 20 Mile Bend.
The proposed facility has sparked concerns among community members who fear the impact on their neighborhood, particularly given its proximity to residential areas and an elementary school.
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"Primarily noise, power usage, water usage and disposal—and also the heat island effect or heat radiated by the facility," said Santiago Lattanzio, an Arden resident, listing his main concerns about the project.
The community of over 4,000 homes has united in opposition, with residents citing various quality of life concerns.
"I'm concerned about our health. I'm concerned about my peace of mind," said Kathleen Williams, an Arden resident.
"For me, it's more the impact it will have on us as a family and the children," said Carolina Andrade, another resident.
Williams questioned why the data center couldn't be relocated further from the residential community.
"1,200 feet from an elementary school, right here in this huge community, there are over 4,000 homes, right here, residential. It can't be right here. Can they just move it out 5 miles, 10 miles?" Williams said.
During the rally, residents and community leaders took turns at the microphone, encouraging community members to make their voices heard. One speaker noted that when more than 50 people reach out about an issue, officials take immediate notice.
The residents are calling on Palm Beach County commissioners to thoroughly examine their concerns before approving the project.
"I think it's a little irresponsible to approve a project that has not been fully vetted," Lattanzio said.
"They need to represent us. We voted them in to represent the people. They're representing the Western communities," Williams said.
Despite the current proposal, residents remain hopeful they can influence the outcome.
"It's not a done deal, we can fight this," Williams said.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach will host a town hall for residents to voice their concerns on February 25 at 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
