Prichard Councilman Roy Smith II is inviting residents to an informational meeting Wednesday afternoon centered on video footage from his recent tour of an operating data center, part of an effort to give the community a firsthand look at what the industry actually involves before city leaders make further decisions on a proposed local project.
The event is set for 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Prichard City Council Chambers at 216 E. Prichard Avenue, also referred to as Prichard City Hall. Smith, who represents District 5 and serves as council vice president, will present the video and answer questions from attendees afterward.
Organizers say the presentation will walk through what Smith observed during his site visit, along with a broader discussion of how a similar facility could affect the city of Prichard. A question-and-answer session is expected to follow the screening, giving residents a chance to raise concerns directly with the councilman.
The meeting comes as Prichard officials continue to weigh a proposed $93 million data center that Edged Energy has pitched for a site on Telegraph Road. The company has said the project would create about 20 jobs paying an average of more than $70,000 a year, but the proposal has drawn pushback from residents living near the site, echoing concerns raised about similar projects elsewhere in Mobile County.
City Council President Traci Hale has separately introduced a proposed 480-day moratorium on new data center permits, which would give officials additional time to study zoning rules, infrastructure needs and community input before any new projects move forward. That measure has not yet come up for a vote, and council members have indicated they could take it up again in the coming days.
Data centers have become one of the most closely watched issues in local government across the Mobile area this year, as companies look to capitalize on rising demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Communities near proposed sites have generally welcomed the promise of tax revenue and construction jobs while raising questions about water use, electricity demand, noise and the long-term impact on property values.
Wednesday’s video screening is intended to give Prichard residents more direct information about what a data center facility looks like in operation, rather than relying solely on renderings or company presentations. Smith’s tour and the resulting community session reflect a broader push by local officials to make sure residents have a chance to see the technology up close and ask questions before any final decisions are made on zoning or permitting.
Residents who are unable to attend in person are expected to have additional opportunities to weigh in as the moratorium proposal and the Telegraph Road project continue working their way through the council process in the weeks ahead.
Update (Aug. 1, 2026):
Update (Aug. 1, 2026): Residents packed a Prichard City Hall forum this week for a follow-up discussion on the proposed data center project, where Councilman Roy Smith II reiterated his push to keep the debate grounded in facts rather than speculation. The city attorney used the session to lay out the tradeoffs council members are weighing: a temporary moratorium that would buy time for rezoning work but carries the risk of legal challenges, versus moving forward with permitting while adopting operational ordinances governing noise, lighting and setback distances from residential neighborhoods.
Not everyone in the room voiced opposition to the project. Quinten Booker, an IT professional and Prichard native, told the forum the data center could open technology career pathways for local youth, pointing to industry certifications that can lead to six-figure salaries without a college degree. Council members said they intend to reflect constituents’ wishes rather than push a personal position as the matter moves forward, with the moratorium proposal expected to come up for discussion and a possible vote at the council’s next meeting.