Project Liberty data center, Marion, South Carolina

Stream Data Centers has dropped Project Liberty, the $2.4 billion data center that Marion County Council in South Carolina approved in January 2026 before most residents knew what it was. On June 11, 2026 the developer said it would no longer move forward, citing utility timing constraints, and that the funds it had committed to Marion County would still go to the county to benefit families and institutions.

The council approved the project at a meeting on January 22, as a rare winter storm bore down on the state, bringing ice and snow that caused hazardous roads, closures and at least two cold-related deaths. County officials had signed a nondisclosure agreement that stopped them describing the project before the vote, and the agenda said only "Project Liberty". The deal was a fee in lieu of tax agreement worth tens of millions to the developer against the standard local rate, which officials projected would still bring the county about $28 million a year, more than its entire $25 million budget. Engineers estimated each building would use about 7,175 gallons of water a day, with perhaps six buildings, roughly what 150 households use, and the project would create about 20 permanent jobs.

Marion County is majority Black, with about 30,000 people, poverty and unemployment roughly twice the national rate, and 66% of residents with regular internet access against 90% nationally. "There was a public meeting, which most were unaware of," resident Jessie Chandler told Capital B, adding that most of the county was preparing for the storm. At a later hearing Samuel Burns asked for more openness: "I would like to see a little bit more transparency coming from this body to inform the public, because this is going to affect all the taxpayers in Marion County." "If there's another drought, it would be a big one," said Dylan Coleman, a resident at the meeting. Council member Joel Rogers said the council itself had been rushed: "We've only received in the last day or two important documents related to this project," he said after the meeting.

After the withdrawal residents said they were thankful but that the council had been wrong to act as it did. "My personal opinion is that if you're playing with our money, we should at least know where it's going and what kind of businesses are going to be benefiting from our tax dollars," Darius Pickett said. Idreese Foxworth said residents have been working "to unite people and advocate for more government transparency so projects like this don't happen," and Debra Buffkin said the county needs plans to protect its rivers and other natural resources before it brings in more industry.