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Data Center Watch Report · ZIP 39823

Blakely

Early

ProposedZIP 53.2% Blackpop 8,635

Proposed / Announced (ordinance adopted; no construction as of 2026-08-02)

Researched: 2026-08-02 · Lead source: Brockovich AI Data Center community map (9 resident reports, 2026-04-28→2026-06-20) · ZIP demographics: 53.2% Black, pop 8,635 (Census ACS 2023) · County: Early (majority-Black; ~50% per Census ACS 2023) Status: Proposed / Announced (ordinance adopted; no construction as of 2026-08-02)

This report is research, not legal, financial, real-estate, or investment advice.

0. Snapshot

QTS Data Centers is planning a massive campus in Early County near Blakely, internally called "Project Blue Hole," first surfaced publicly by the Development Authority of Early County in November 2025. At full build-out (targeted end of 2035) it could reach ~12 million square feet across roughly 9 buildings with multiple on-site substations — one of the largest such projects in rural Georgia. On July 14, 2026, Early County commissioners unanimously adopted a data-center ordinance that sets a 1,000-foot buffer from any home, school, or church, requires water-efficient cooling, and imposes noise limits. This is a poor, majority-Black county (ZIP 39823 is 53.2% Black) that recently lost 500+ jobs when its Georgia-Pacific paper mill closed — economic-development pressure is high.

1. The Facility & Where It Sits

  • Developer: QTS Data Centers (Blackstone). Land entity: McKnight-Blakely, LLC (principal John Engler). Local promotion via Blakely-Early County Economic Development (Susanne Reynolds) and the Development Authority of Early County.
  • Location: Undeveloped land off Martha Berry Highway, near Early County Airport, in the southwestern corner of Georgia near the Alabama line.
  • Scale: Up to ~12M sq ft, ~9 data-center buildings, multiple on-site substations; full build-out projected end of 2035. Reported as a "closed-loop cooling" campus.
  • Timeline: Internal feasibility (McKnight/Engler) ~May 2024; first contact with city leadership ~mid-2024; "Project Blue Hole" posted by the Development Authority November 2025; county ordinance adopted July 14, 2026; Development Authority action July 23, 2026.
  • Status: Proposed/announced — enabling ordinance passed, but no construction confirmed as of 2026-08-02.
  • The border: The site is in unincorporated Early County near Blakely. Residents directly across from the proposed site (e.g., Leighanne Willis) say they learned of it on their own. A Mitchell County resident raised cross-boundary aquifer/air concerns, so impacts are seen as extending beyond the county line.

Note: A widely circulated "1,400 MW / 12M sq ft" figure appears in some secondary chatter. The 12M sq ft build-out is corroborated; the 1,400 MW power figure is NOT confirmed in official or trade sources — QTS has said it is "still working with power providers to determine the appropriate power supply." Treat 1,400 MW as unverified. Power capacity not found as of 2026-08-02.

2. Public Hearings & Notices

  • June 6, 2026: Proposed ordinance sparked debate (WCTV); public discussion of the data-center rules.
  • July 14, 2026: Early County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the data-center ordinance at a packed meeting at the Early County Theatre. Chairman Hank Jester said the county wanted to avoid becoming "like the Wild Wild West." Commissioners said they had studied ~15 Georgia counties and worked on the ordinance since December 2025. Residents asked leaders to slow down and add stronger protections.
  • July 23, 2026: Development Authority of Early County action related to the project.
  • Ordinance terms: 1,000-ft buffer from homes/schools/churches; water-efficient cooling required; noise limits. Full ordinance text and case/permit numbers: request from the county clerk.

3. Power

  • Serving utility: Not confirmed. Southwest Georgia is served by Georgia Power and/or local EMCs; QTS says power supply is still being negotiated with providers. Not found as of 2026-08-02.
  • State oversight: If Georgia Power serves it and load exceeds 100 MW, the Georgia PSC large-load rules apply (contracts filed with the PSC; the data center pays its own transmission/distribution costs to shield existing customers). PSC data-center fact sheet: https://psc.ga.gov/site/downloads/datacenterfactsheet.pdf
  • On-site substations are planned (number/size unspecified). Actual MW, generation, and transmission plans: Not found as of 2026-08-02.

4. Water & Drought

  • QTS describes a closed-loop cooling system with no cooling towers, and ~5,000 gallons/day for domestic use (restrooms, break rooms). The new ordinance requires water-efficient cooling.
  • Residents (including a Mitchell County speaker, Lauren Dorminey) raised aquifer draw, contaminant, and soil/air-pollution concerns crossing county lines. Southwest Georgia sits over the Floridan aquifer; exact withdrawal source and permit for the campus: Not found as of 2026-08-02 — check Georgia EPD.
  • Drought: Southwest Georgia is drought-prone; as of mid-July 2026 roughly a third of Georgia was in active drought. Check Early County weekly: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu and https://www.drought.gov/states/georgia.

5. Population & Who Lives Here

  • ZIP 39823: 53.2% Black, population 8,635 (Census ACS 2023). Early County overall is roughly half Black and is a low-income rural county.
  • Economic context: The Georgia-Pacific paper mill closure eliminated 500+ jobs and cut the county budget by ~10% — a major driver of the county's openness to the project.
  • Detailed poverty/health-burden statistics for the ZIP: Not compiled as of 2026-08-02.

6. Money — Abatements, Incentives, Jobs

  • Jobs claimed: QTS says high-school graduates could earn "over $50K/year" in technician, maintenance, and security roles, with a workforce partnership with Early County schools. No firm permanent headcount published. Job count not found as of 2026-08-02.
  • Tax: Local officials describe "substantial" future ad valorem (property) tax revenue. Specific investment dollars, PILOT/bond-lease terms, or abatement schedule: Not found as of 2026-08-02 — request from the Development Authority of Early County.

7. Community Reaction & News Coverage

  • Early County News (earlycountynews.com) — local paper; ran the Q&A "QTS Data Centers considers a location in Blakely."
  • developearly.com (Development Authority) — project FAQ.
  • Wiregrass Daily News, WTVY, WDHN, WCTV, Rickey Stokes News — regional coverage of the ordinance and hearings.
  • The Cool Down — "Packed meeting in rural Georgia ends with new data center rules over water and noise."
  • Resident concern is documented and organized enough to pack a public meeting and win a 1,000-ft buffer; no lawsuit or formal petition found as of 2026-08-02.

8. Find Out For Yourself

Early County (unincorporated site — county has jurisdiction)

  • Board of Commissioners: 204 Court Square, Blakely, GA 39823 · (229) 723-4304 · Mon–Fri 8–12 & 1–5
  • County Clerk / Financial Officer: Lakeita Warren · (229) 723-4304
  • Commissioners page: https://www.earlycountyga.org/board-of-commisioners
  • Chairman: Hank Jester

Economic development / project promoters

  • Blakely-Early County Economic Development — Susanne Reynolds
  • Development Authority of Early County — https://www.developearly.com (ask for the ordinance text, project agreements, and any incentives)

State

  • Georgia PSC (if Georgia Power serves it): https://psc.ga.gov
  • Georgia EPD — water withdrawal/discharge permits and aquifer data.

Questions to ask:

  1. Who is the serving utility, how many megawatts, and who pays for the substations and transmission?
  2. What is the water source (which aquifer/withdrawal permit), how many gallons/day at full operation, and what happens during drought?
  3. What exactly does the 1,000-ft buffer measure from, and how is noise enforced and monitored?
  4. What incentives, PILOT, or bond-lease is QTS getting, for how many years, and what is the county's net revenue?
  5. How many permanent jobs, at what pay, and is the school workforce partnership contractually binding?
  6. What environmental studies (aquifer drawdown, air, stormwater) were required before approval?

9. If You're Thinking About Moving Here

Early County is a low-income, majority-Black rural county actively courting a very large data center after losing its paper mill. If Project Blue Hole proceeds, expect years of heavy construction, large new power infrastructure, and pressure on the local aquifer that neighbors are already worried about. The county did adopt real protections (1,000-ft buffer, water-efficiency and noise rules), which is more than many places get up front. Still unresolved as of 2026-08-02: the power source and megawatts, the water source and drought safeguards, the incentives, and how many permanent jobs actually materialize. If you're weighing a move, talk to the county commissioners and read the ordinance before deciding.

10. Sources

Lead source: resident reports on the Brockovich AI Data Center community map, then independently verified against public records. Research, not legal, financial, real-estate, or investment advice. Some resident-reported pins remain uncorroborated and are labeled as such above.