ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — Tempers flared Wednesday night as residents from across Palm Beach County — from Loxahatchee to Delray Beach — filled a town hall meeting in Royal Palm Beach to discuss a proposal to build a massive artificial intelligence data center, under the name "Project Tango."
WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman said the room was packed with residents determined to make their voices heard — so many, in fact, that not everyone got the chance to speak. Public comment ended with many waiting in line to share their thoughts.
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After hours of heated discussion, one thing was clear: the community stands firmly against Project Tango. The proposal would convert more than 200 acres into what developers describe as a "modern hyperscale AI facility" spanning 1.8 million square feet, along with 1.9 million square feet of warehouse space. The proposed location sits between Southern Boulevard and the 20 Mile Bend, directly adjacent to protected environmental land.
During Wednesday's meeting, at times, shouting broke out from the crowd as speakers lined up to address county leaders and project representatives.
"I feel like I'm leaving with more questions than I arrived with," said Rachel Smith, one of the many residents who spoke out.
Others raised alarming concerns about potential health impacts. "Who is okay with having cancer in 600 kids and all of these people on their hands? Who is okay with that?” one speaker asked during public comment.
Hundreds in attendance echoed a unified message: "We don't want it."
WATCH BELOW: What are the alternatives to data centers?
Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter opened Wednesday's meeting by announcing she is opposed to Project Tango. Some met the announcement with applause, while others met it with jeers and boos.
"She said it publicly, so we're going to hold her to that," Smith said.
Representatives from county planning and zoning, other county departments, Florida Power & Light, and project manager Ernie Cox were all in attendance, attempting to answer questions and address community concerns.
One issue highlighted by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was the lack of a nearby fire station to respond to potential emergencies at the proposed site. Officials announced plans for a temporary fire station to serve the area ahead of a permanent station expected in the coming years.
When asked whether he considered the night a success, Cox said he tries to focus beyond the emotion in the room.
"What I always try to do is understand that everybody’s got concerns," Cox said. "I try to look at it and set aside the emotions, the yelling and screaming, what are the issues? And I took a lot of notes on issues.”
Cox said his team plans to take the concerns raised at tonight’s meeting and rework the site plan before the council votes on the future of the project in April.
Still, for residents like Smith, skepticism remains.
"I kind of feel like they just gave us a bunch of words,” she said. “And I feel like this was maybe a little bit more for show than for the residents. But we kind of expected that."
