Data centers in Cherokee County, South Carolina: 1 project mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

Cherokee County's data center deal was sealed before residents got a chance to weigh in. In June 2025 the County Council finalized tax incentives for Cielo Digital Infrastructure, a Texas company owned by Arroyo Investors, which pledged $2.1 billion for a campus of four buildings, about 400,000 square feet each, plus a substation, on Ford Road east of Gaffney. Cielo says the site could hold up to 300 megawatts of power and expects to open by the end of 2028 with 30 jobs. Ken Moon, executive director of the county's development board, would not disclose the size or length of the tax breaks, saying "the paperwork has not been finalized."

Cielo describes itself only as a site finder. "We identify and negotiate sites ready for data center development," its website says. It would not tell the Gazette whether it plans to keep the site or build for other companies; it earlier sold a Culpeper County, Virginia, campus to Edgecore. Ken Moon told WSPA the project is "a storage facility for data," not an energy-intensive AI center, and that the county is requiring Cielo to "bring their own power" using closed-loop cooling systems.

Residents have pushed back since January 2026. "This is not opposition to growth," said Allison Tracy. "It is a request for transparency in responsible decision-making." "The idea that we need a data center in Cherokee County to be on the forefront of progress and growth is nonsense," said Courtney Smith. Gaffney adopted new zoning rules for data centers on January 6, 2026, and resident Denise Maista has asked the council to appoint district liaisons to keep residents informed.

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.