Harwood Signs Off on Data Center

Mayor Blake Hankey on video screen. (Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – The Harwood City Council gave final approval for a data center Wednesday but the city of Fargo plans to continue to pursue adding the site to its city limits.

Harwood called a special meeting to approve rezoning 320 acres from agricultural to light industrial so Texas-based Applied Digital can build a $3 billion facility where tech companies can house computers for creating artificial intelligence.

Harwood’s City Hall was filled to capacity for the meeting, with some project opponents pressing signs against the windows for council members to see. Many of the signs urged the council and Mayor Blake Hankey to allow public comment.

Hankey, who led the meeting remotely, asked council members if they wanted to take public comments but none did.