Here’s what Manse Tech Campus has to say about its proposed Pahrump data center.

The debate over data centers in the Pahrump Valley has been steadily gaining momentum as residents take every opportunity they can to voice their fierce opposition to such developments but the company behind the Manse Technology Campus, Gigawatt Development, is striving to assuage community concerns when it comes to this particular project.

Issuing a press release earlier this week, the Manse Technology Campus team is asserting that this development would boost Nye County’s economy during a time when the county is facing steep budgetary challenges. Furthermore, company representatives are lauding the differences between the Manse Technology Campus and other data centers around the country, in an attempt to get the community on board as it goes through the process of securing the necessary approvals to build its proposed 900-acre data center facility.

“As Nye County works to close a $7 million budget shortfall and local schools face funding and teacher-recruitment pressures, developers today announced a privately financed answer that requires no taxpayer funding,” a news release issued July 21 stated. “Manse Technology Campus, formerly known as Project Blackjack, is an estimated $18.4 billion technology campus on approximately 900 acres south of Carpenter Canyon Road along State Route 160, designed to generate a long-term source of public revenue without increasing taxes on local residents. The campus is planned to be developed in multiple phases over more than five years, creating thousands of construction and permanent jobs while funding the services residents depend on.”

With no property tax abatements proposed for this project, the Manse Technology Campus would produce tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue for the county and local school district, the release claims, money that could be put toward schools, roads, public safety, community services and more.

“In addition, the project would contribute millions of dollars in one-time county impact fees during construction to support drainage improvements, roads and police and fire infrastructure,” the release continued. “At full buildout, it would provide a significant, recurring source of funding that could strengthen local schools, help with teacher recruitment and classroom needs, and support public safety, all without raising taxes on residents.”

The Manse Technology Campus would employ around 1,600 construction workers at the peak of development and then require a permanent workforce of a reported 380 on-site employees. The news release noted that state law dictates that at least 50% of the construction workforce be Nevada residents.

Aside from the proclaimed economic benefits, the release went on to address specific concerns that residents have raised about data centers overall. Two of the most cited concerns revolve around Pahrump’s water, supplied by a sole-source aquifer, and the potential burden on the area’s electrical infrastructure.

“Water is one of the community’s biggest questions and Manse Technology Campus was designed with conservation in mind. The campus will use a closed-loop cooling system that continuously recirculates and reuses water, significantly reducing overall consumption,” the release detailed. “At full buildout, the campus is expected to use less than 300 acre-feet of water annually, less water than a single 18-hole desert golf course and only about 1.5% of the Pahrump Basin’s annual water yield. The project will use existing water rights it already owns and privately fund all required power infrastructure and electrical system upgrades, ensuring those costs are not passed on to local residents or Valley Electric Association members.”

Additionally, the release explained that the Manse Technology Campus is not a manufacturing facility, warehouse or factory and will not produce any industrial waste. The campus will reportedly feature lighting that is compliant with Pahrump’s dark skies regulations, native landscaping and a stormwater retention system. When it comes to noise, the release said that the project will produce no noise louder than “a normal conversation”, as heard at the homes nearest to the site.

“Pahrump deserves investments that create lasting value for its residents,” Manse Technology Campus developer Sean Dalesandro stated. “This project is designed to pay its own way, funding its own infrastructure, using water rights it already owns and keeping power costs off residents’ bills. We look forward to earning the community’s trust through transparency and open dialogue.”

Anyone interested in learning more about data centers in general can attend the Nye County Data Center Forum tomorrow, Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. inside the Nye County Commission Chambers. This will be followed by a presentation and informational meeting hosted by the Manse Technology Campus team on Monday, August 3 at 6 p.m. at the Pahrump Nugget Events Center. Nye County will then take up a bill aimed at prohibiting data center developments in any Nye County town without an elected town board at its Tuesday, August 4 meeting, set for 10 a.m. at the commissioners’ chambers.

For more information on the Manse Technology Campus visit ManseTechCampus.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com